Metamorphosis
by PearlieWolf
Summary: Emma left her home, determined to succeed in the Pokemon league and make a new life for herself. Follow her journey as she discovers friendship, love, and a strength within herself she never knew she had. OC/Gary, minor OC/Tracey
1. Chapter 1

Metamorphosis

Chapter 1

Disclaimer (won't post on following chapters): I don't own Pokemon and I don't profit from this story.

* * *

><p>Emma rolled over in the sagging couch and squinted at the clock. 2AM. She would never sleep at this rate. Pulling the threadbare blanket over her shoulders only uncovered her feet. She shivered, even though it was warm.<p>

She had to get out of here.

She wanted to be a Pokemon trainer and take on the gym challenge. Not that her mom would let her go willingly. Emma had steadily collected traveling gear, and she worked at a Pokemon center in the evenings. Her mom was growing suspicious. And destructive, as the shredded tent left outside her door as a warning indicated.

She had to be quick.

A neatly packed bag sat on the floor, containing a few changes of clothes, the most useful Pokemon book she'd ever read (a gift from Nurse Joy), simple toiletries swiped from a hotel, and a train ticket to Kanto. She'd have to walk from Viridian City to Professor Oak's research facility to pick up a Pokemon, but it would definitely be worth it.

Her mom would be furious, of course. The rest of Emma's belongings sat in a box she planned to leave at Justin's when she left. Her mom would trash everything in this room once Emma left and she realized what was going on. She was into that kind of petty vengeance. And senseless violence.

Emma sat up and shook her head. She had to get out of here now. With the box tucked safely under her arm, and the bag over her shoulder, she snuck out the front door. Dim street lamps lit the way to Justin's.

She rang the doorbell and sat on her box. A few minutes later, Justin's bleary eyed mother opened the door.

"Emma? What's going on? Come on inside," she yawned.

Deirdre was the only reason Emma ever felt like a normal person. Stable. She took Emma under her wing and into her home. She had a section of the attic furnished for Emma's frequent stays, and had even given Emma her own Pokegear when she confided her desire to train Pokemon.

"Emma dear, are you alright?" She glanced at the box. "Is this the big day, or was it a particularly bad night?"

Emma slumped on the couch. "It's not supposed to be the big day for a few more days, but I couldn't sleep. I think she knows and I wanted to get away from there."

Justin peeked around the corner, then moved to Emma's side when he caught her eye. He ruffled her hair and tried to smile.

"Are you okay? What happened?" He surveyed her for any fresh bruises. "You look alright." A questioning note hung in his voice.

She explained the situation to him and he visibly relaxed. He carried her box up to the attic. As soon as he closed the door, she collapsed on the bed, falling asleep immediately.

...

Emma awoke to her Pokegear's phone ringing. She glanced at the screen, wincing when she recognized her home phone number. Would she never escape?

The phone beeped with a new message. Lovely.

Sun filtered through the dusty window. Emma stared at the ceiling, then the neatly stacked boxes, then the old lace curtains Deirdre had hung to give this little room improvised walls. Downstairs, Deirdre and her husband Mitchell readied themselves for work.

Someone pounded on the front door.

Emma sat bolt upright, terrified.

Her mom's voice drifted up the stairs. She was talking to Deirdre and Mitchell, steadily rising in volume. Soon she was yelling, and it quickly degraded into incoherent screams. Then, it stopped - and the door slammed shut.

Carefully, Emma got out of bed and tiptoed to her door. As she reached for the handle, it swung open and she jumped back nearly a yard. Justin grabbed her hand and ran down the stairs to the bathroom. Deirdre and Mandy, Justin's sister, waited there for her.

"Emma, your mom is looking for you," Deirdre sighed, "and she seems particularly unpleasant this time. I think she'll be worse than usual."

Emma ducked her head and mumbled an apology. Deirdre leaned over and patted her shoulder, then wound some of Emma's long blond hair around her fingers.

"You need to travel in disguise, and we're going to help you."

They cut her hair short. They dyed it red-brown. Mandy gave her some of her old clothes and a different satchel - stylish and modern, and not falling apart at the seams - and spend a solid half hour testing different kinds of makeup to find the best compromise between looking good and looking like a completely different person. She gave her the makeup and taught her how to use it herself. The entire family was so thoroughly adamant that Emma remain hidden, they gave her a different colored case for her Pokegear and a counterfeit trainer card to use until Professor Oak gave her a real one. Justin, aspiring baker, stocked her satchel with fresh bread and muffins, and a wide assortment of berries from his bushes.

And as the family all hugged her and looked at her with such hope, Emma could hardly hold back the tears. They all said their goodbyes, and for a brief moment Emma contemplated just how permanent those goodbyes would be if her mom ever found her. She winced.

An hour after her mom invaded their house, Emma left it. She snuck out the back door and along the houses towards Goldenrod's main square and the train station.

And there was her mom.

Emma found herself trembling and barely able to keep it together as she followed the masses into the train cars. But all of Mandy's efforts must have worked, because even though her mom looked directly at her, she didn't recognize her. As the train pulled away, she still stood on the platform, scowling at everything.

Three hours later, Emma hopped onto the local train from Saffron to Viridian city. Now she could relax; with the train schedules, this put a solid day between herself and her mom.

Once at the Viridian station, Emma picked up a Kanto map and swiftly made her way south. The road to Pallet town was largely dirt but it took her through an absolutely beautiful forest. It was also far longer than it looked on the map, and by late afternoon, Emma was exhausted. And not even halfway there. She nearly collapsed on a rock, sprawling there until she heard a car stop.

"Hey, are you alright?"

Emma jumped as the young man put his hand on her shoulder. She wheeled around, ready to strike - oh! It was only Tracey. She introduced herself and apologized for her reaction.

Tracey happily drove her back to the lab with him.

"Seriously Emma, were you crazy trying to walk that far with only a map? No tent or anything?"

"I don't have a tent," she mumbled. "Would the Professor mind me staying a while?"

"Oh, he'll be fine. He loves visitors. You'll probably get to meet his grandson, too." Tracey told Emma all about the lab and research, and Emma nodded along. Tracey gave her an odd look. "Emma?"

"Yes?"

"You have a Johto accent."

"Yeah."

"Do you live in Johto?" Emma shrugged, making Tracey's brow crease. "Why didn't you pick up a Pokemon from Elm? He's a fine professor, and much more convenient for you."

"Wanted to go somewhere new." The silky, sulky tone of her voice clearly ended and further foray into her personal affairs. Tracey took the hint, focusing on the road and falling into silence the rest of the way.

The car slowed to a crawl as Tracey pulled it behind a large, tan building. "We're going in the side door," he explained, smiling. He parked and jumped out, opening the building's door and calling, "Professor! Emma's here early. Is there a guest room available?"

A young man with short brown hair came to the door. He sized up Emma.

"This is the new trainer? A little older than usual. Come with me."

Emma only moved once Tracey smiled reassuringly at her. She swung her bag over her shoulder and followed the young man into the house.

"So, what's your name?"

"Emma."

"Emma what?"

"Just Emma."

He gave her a quizzical look before turning down a hallway. "I'm Gary Oak, the Professor's grandson. I'm a researcher studying ancient, prehistoric Pokemon."

"What did you mean when you said I'm older than usual?"

He stopped walking and sized her up. "Well, how old are you?"

"I'm fifteen."

He glanced away quickly. "You look a bit older, with the makeup and all. Still, most of the kids who come by here are thirteen or fourteen." He opened the closest door and gestured inside.

The room looked fit for a king, with a large bed, a fancy chest of drawers, a fireplace, and massive etched glass doors leading out to a terrace. Emma walked inside, looking in a door to the left to see a luxurious bathroom all clad in marble. What was this for?

"How do you like your room?" Gary leaned in the doorway, almost smiling.

"What?" Emma spun around, gaping at him. "This can't be mine, it's far too nice!"

He shrugged. "Gramps always keeps a few rooms ready for visitors. It's usually important scientists or researchers, but preparing a more modest room for you would be more work." He cocked his head to the side. "Would you wait a few minutes? I'll be back soon. Make yourself at home."

Home? This was far better than home. This bed was the size of her old room! She dropped her bag and fell onto the bed. Oh, it was so soft….

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><p>Author's Note<p>

Please, read and review.

I haven't been on for the longest time. It's odd to start posting my writing again. I probably won't update very often, what with being a senior in college and looking for internships and working on final projects that will be part of my portfolio and - Pokemon is a great escape.


	2. Chapter 2

Metamorphosis

Chapter 2

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><p><em>Knock knock knock!<em>

Emma jolted awake. Sunlight streamed in through the doors and onto her face. A soft blanket had been tucked around her.

_Knock knock!_

She jumped out of bed and ran to the door, cracking it open.

"Good morning, Emma!" Tracey smiled. Was he always so chipper? "If you're hungry, breakfast should be ready in a half hour."

A Marill dashed through the open door and around Emma's feet. Emma clumsily grabbed for it until Tracey scolded it and it returned to his side.

"Sorry about that, she gets a bit excited to see new people."

Emma nodded and yawned. The surprise had worn off and she wanted nothing more than to crawl back into bed.

"Would you like anything specific for breakfast?"

"No preference…."

Tracey left and Emma showered. Ugh, all the makeup felt gross after sleeping in it. She definitely didn't want to recreate this particular style. Gary's reaction surprised her. How old did he think she was? Fifteen minutes later, she sat in front of the mirror, puzzling over the makeup. After a bit of trial and error, she found a decent look. It wasn't as dramatic as Mandy's, but it still obscured her real appearance well enough.

She suddenly remembered the message her mom left on her Pokegear. She flipped the case open and played it, deleting it as soon as it dissolved into screaming. She sighed, shaken. Her mom's words chewed at the back of her mind. "If you follow that Pokemon nonsense, I will do everything I can to end you! Everything!"

Emma shoved it away. She couldn't let today be full of negative thoughts. This was the beginning of her new life, and she would never see her mother again. She straightened her clothes - leggings with a long tunic sweater - and headed out to breakfast.

Only, she didn't know where to find it. After a few minutes wandering aimlessly and passing her room twice, she slumped against a wall. Great. She leaned her head back and sighed. Hopefully someone would come and find her.

She didn't expect that someone to be a Pokemon. But as an Umbreon nuzzled her to a standing position and pushed against her legs, she followed. It led her through a hallway she hadn't noticed before and towards a delicious scent. Cinnamon rolls! Emma's heart ached as she thought of Justin's various baking experiments with cinnamon.

Umbreon whined at her, and Emma picked up the pace, unaware that she had even stopped walking. Rounding a corner, she found herself face to face with a grumpy Gary Oak. He stared at her for a few seconds, then leaned down to pet Umbreon.

"Well, you're finally here. Get enough beauty sleep?"

"Yes, thank you." Emma watched Gary's expression sour at her dodging his barb. He stood quickly.

"Well come on then." As he reached for her, she instinctively flinched and stepped back. They stared at each other for several moments. Emma didn't move until she saw the sourness fall from his face. She still kept her distance as he led her into the kitchen.

Professor Oak and Tracey sat at a small folding table, drinking coffee and munching on cinnamon rolls. She caught Tracey's eye and he stood, introducing her to Oak. Smiling, as always.

"Ahh, yes, Emma." Oak stood slowly and held his hand out to shake hers. "Nurse Joy sent an absolutely wonderful recommendation. I'm quite eager to work with you. Please, sit."

Tracey had left his seat for her, and soon he presented her with a warm cinnamon roll. Emma thanked him, then glanced at Gary, leaning in a doorway. He hadn't cheered up. Oak smiled softly.

"Don't worry about him, Emma. He's just disappointed that you fell asleep before he could introduce us last night. But it's to be expected. You had an exciting day!"

"Oh!" Emma paused the inhalation of her breakfast. "I'm so sorry - I just sat on my bed and next thing I knew, it was morning." She glanced again to Gary, but he was no longer there. Tracey had already started on the day's work, but stopped long enough to give Emma another cinnamon roll when she finished the first. Oak leaned towards her, clasping his hands.

"So, Emma, as I'm sure you're aware, I research the bond between Pokemon and their trainers. Unfortunately, much of my study of that has to be done when the Pokemon and trainer are separated, or reunited for only a short period of time. I have traveled briefly with some, but trainers have so many Pokemon and change their teams so often…" He trailed off, and Emma looked up at him.

"How many Pokemon do they have?"

"Hmm," Oak rubbed his chin. "It really varies. All I can really say is that the mindset in many cases is to catch every Pokemon you see. And that's very hard on the Pokemon. They bond quickly and get lonely easily."

Emma leaned forward. "So do you want me to limit how many Pokemon I train?" It made sense. With fewer Pokemon, a trainer would be forced to be careful. Emma had seen entirely too many reckless trainers treat Pokemon as disposable because they had a numbers advantage. Oak shook his head.

"No, not exactly. I want your decision to catch a Pokemon to be deliberate and carefully considered, not an obsessive impulse to catch every kind you see."

"Of course. Is there anything else I can do to aid your research?"

Oak smiled and leaned back in his chair. "I'll need to see you and your Pokemon regularly. Would you be able to stop back at the lab every two weeks?"

Emma rested her chin on her hand, considering. It was a bit frequent. She suggested every three weeks and he agreed. They stood and he led her to his office, where she filled out her trainer information on his computer. It printed on a green card. He explained that the green cards were train passes that gave her access to ride on the designated trainer car.

"It's usually for high-level trainers, coordinators, and the like, but I can authorize you as a research assistant." He clipped the card to her collar.

...

Gary leaned back in one of the cloth patio chairs, only opening his eyes when a shadow fell over him. Tracey.

"Hey Gary, what do you think of our new trainer?"

Gary sighed. "She's interesting. Though she's not 'our' trainer, I have nothing to do with this."

Tracey laughed, then stood for a while, thinking. "She's quite pretty."

Gary let his head rest on the chair and closed his eyes once more.

...

Emma stood over the toilet in her bathroom, shredding the old counterfeit card and flushing it. This new one wasn't exactly legitimate; she gave her middle name instead of her last name. Was it illegal if it was technically her given name? She could always act confused and pretend it was an honest mistake if she ever got caught.

Someone knocked softly on her door. She opened it to see an aloof Gary. He no longer looked grumpy, but his unpredictable demeanor left Emma slightly wary.

"Gramps would like you to look at available Pokemon now." He turned at walked down the hall without waiting for a reply. She hurried after him, keeping silent. He didn't.

"Gramps said you worked at a Pokemon center."

"Yes."

"What did you do there?"

"I was an intensive care assistant."

Gary stopped - nearly stumbled - and stared at her in shock. "That is a very high-stress job."

Emma crossed her arms and met his stare. "Yes. I would know. It was my job for two years."

Gary jumped back, startled. He regarded her with a mix of horror and admiration. "You were thirteen? When you started that job?"

"There were many kids my age with jobs. It's not unusual."

"Not a job like that!" He ran his hands through his hair.

"Extreme physical trauma doesn't distress me," she flatly replied.

"Hell, even the thought of working with that…" he trailed off, talking to himself more than her. His face had paled, and he swallowed roughly, then shook his head. "Let's get over to Gramps. Don't want to keep him waiting."

They walked in silence. Gary led her out the side door to a fenced-in meadow, strolling along the fence until the lab looked like a small garden shed in the distance. Here was a padlocked gate, which Gary opened after a minute of fumbling.

"Security is pretty strict. Too many people think they can simply steal the Pokemon." He locked the gate behind him.

A worn path stretched out ahead of them, but Gary took Emma through the trees. By now they had been walking for over a half hour, and Emma's muscles still hadn't recuperated from the previous day. She began struggling to keep up with him, but he didn't seem to notice.

A root caught her foot, and she tripped, crying out in surprise.

Gary crouched over her. "Be careful, okay?" He held out his hand and lifted her to her feet. At least now he adjusted to her slower pace.

Soon the trees opened to a clearing with a small field and a single-story cottage. This was also fenced, but nowhere near as securely as the outer boundary. The gate wasn't even locked.

Tracey sat on his Jeep, sketching the trees - or something in them. His head whipped around to Gary and Emma as soon as Gary opened the latch.

"Hey, you're here!" He jumped down, smiling as always, and led them into the building. "This is where Professor Oak is holding the Pokemon without trainers that are available to you. Do you have any idea which kind you'd like?"

"Of course not, I haven't even seen them yet," Emma scoffed. Gary coughed next to her, but looked like he was hiding a grin. Tracey only appeared confused.

As they walked into what might have been a living room, Emma saw more Pokemon than she ever had at the Pokemon center. Most of them were also native only to Kanto, and though she would see them occasionally, they weren't as familiar. Tracey explained that the majority of them weren't very common in the wild, and all were available.

Her eyes drifted over the mass. A few Pichu and Pikachu snored in one corner. Some Vulpix, Growlithe, and Charmander casually set fire to the rug. A Meowth and Eevee sat on a bookshelf observing the others. The rest of the Pokemon were such an energetic blur that Emma couldn't even count them all.

"So, uh… How shall we do this?" Tracey's smile had faded, and he looked lost.

"Have you never done this before?" Gary crossed his arms. Tracey colored.

"Well, not this way! With most trainers, they only have a choice of the three traditional starters. But the Professor wanted Emma to choose from these ones instead."

"Where is he, anyway?"

As the two men not-quite-argued, Emma sat on a worn couch and evaluated the Pokemon. She quickly ruled out half of them for various unappealing behaviors: bullying, needing to be the center of attention, wanton destruction of all visible things. Most of them could have improved with time and effort, but Emma didn't want her first Pokemon to bring her so much extra frustration.

And why would Oak want her to choose from these Pokemon?

Careful observation narrowed her choices to five Pokemon: an Eevee, a Vulpix, and Charmander, a Pikachu, and a Meowth.

"Tracey?"

He and Gary stopped talking. "Yes, Emma?"

"I'd like to take some of these outside, to the field."

"Oh! Of course."

He and Gary helped gather the Pokemon she specified and carried them outside. She lined them up and smiled as they attentively stared at her. Within a few minutes, she had taught them "alert," "guarded," and "relaxed" stances. All were quick learners and eager to please, but the Eevee and Charmander stood out above the rest. She sat down and called each one over to her, giving them a simple physical. Charmander squirmed and reacted aggressively, but Eevee stood calmly. He was also in excellent health.

Emma picked up the Eevee and smiled. "I like this one. The other four are definitely great Pokemon as well."

Eevee happily purred in her arms. Emma gazed at the other Pokemon she nearly chose and sighed; they looked so sad she wanted to cry. She kneeled and petted them.

"Don't worry, guys. I'll visit you whenever I'm back."

They cheered up slightly.

Eevee climbed up to Emma's shoulder and cuddled her head. Tracey returned to the cottage, letting the other Pokemon out so they could return to their normal grounds before they burned down the house. Gary led Emma back to the lab, this time taking the path. After a while, Eevee jumped down and ran alongside them. Emma smiled at him.

"When do you want to start training, little Eevee? Tomorrow?"

Eevee smiled and trilled.

"I think we need a name for you. What do you think?" She smiled up at Gary. "Does your Umbreon have a nickname?"

"Uh… no, most trainers don't name their Pokemon."

But Eevee seemed too happy at the idea of a name that Emma couldn't change her mind. She suggested various names to see which one he liked best, eventually settling on Jonah.

By the time they returned to the lab, Emma's legs were on fire, and Jonah's boundless energy had vanished. She walked to her room and collapsed on the bed, drifting off to sleep with a fluffy Eevee next to her.

...

When Emma awoke, the sun hung just above the horizon, contemplating setting. Jonah was curled up on a pillow, sound asleep. Emma's legs were still sore, so she made herself a bubble bath and soaked in it until the sky was dark.

Now that she had a Pokemon, how much longer would Oak let her stay? She didn't even know how long she wanted to be here. Eventually she would have to leave and start the gym challenge, but the enormity of being on her own, completely, was only beginning to sink in.

Everyone else had parents to support them, parents they could lean on when they needed financial help, parents they could call when they needed advice, a home they could return to when they needed a break. Emma couldn't - not to her mother, and not to Justin's family. She knew his family cared for her, but she also knew they viewed her as a burden. Their attic wasn't nearly as soundproof as they thought.

Would Oak come to view her as a burden, too?

She shook her head and stepped into the shower to rinse off the soapy bubbles. She had some money saved from her time at the Pokemon center. It wasn't much, since what little she didn't need to spend on food and other necessities for herself was often stolen by her mom. Stupid bitch never worked a day in her life; she just stole from her child and bled Emma's father for "child support."

Emma stepped out of the shower and stretched, then dressed in some clean clothes. She'd have to find a Pokemon center in Pallet town so she could do her laundry.

Leaning over the bed, she scratched Jonah between the ears, waking him. "We should see what's going on." Jonah jumped down from the bed and pawed at Emma's bag, trilling at her at the same time as her stomach growled.

She hadn't touched the food Justin gave her. Jonah happily munched on the berries, as Emma slowly ate a slightly squished muffin. It wasn't as good as she remembered his baking being in the past.

Emma changed the registered name on her Pokegear to match her trainer card: Emma Rose. How long could she maintain the lie before her family caught up with her? Hopefully it would last another year and a half, until she was legally able to change her name.

Muffin eaten, Emma and Jonah wandered down to the kitchen, looking for anyone. Tracey sat at the table, organizing papers.

"Hey Tracey." Emma sat opposite him and leaned forward. "What's everyone up to tonight?"

He glanced up and smiled. "The Professor should be here soon. He and Gary are finishing up some routine stuff outside."

"Where is the Pokemon center in Pallet Town?"

He placed the papers in a pile and gave Emma and odd look. "Eevee looks fine." Jonah growled.

"His name is Jonah - and I was looking for somewhere to do my laundry."

"We have laundry machines here."

Emma nodded, and conversation stalled. After a few minutes of silence, Emma stood to leave, but Oak and Gary entered the kitchen.

"Ah! I see you chose the Eevee. Did Gary tell you his Umbreon is the father?"

Gary gave his grandfather an unreadable look before searching the fridge.

"Uh, no, he didn't."

"What difference does it make?" Gary asked, grabbing a takeout box and placing it in the microwave. Emma turned her attention to Oak.

"Actually, Professor, I'm a bit curious why I was given a choice of so many Pokemon, and why they didn't have the disposition of normal starters."

"Hmm, good question. Most of these Pokemon are offspring of trainers' Pokemon that neither trainer wanted. The others had at one point been available starters, but were passed over so many times… I offer to take them in." He trailed off and grabbed the stack of papers Tracey had been sorting. Gary huffed and placed the carton of fried rice on the counter.

"He only offered you those Pokemon because they're too difficult for new trainers. You're already familiar with Pokemon. He reserves the younger, more malleable starters for new trainers who can't handle the others."

Oak shot Gary a scolding glance. "It was an opportunity for you to examine your thought process when choosing a Pokemon."

The kitchen fell into a silence that was not particularly companionable, so Emma returned to her room. She had yet to tell anyone from home that she had made it to the lab.

First she called Justin and filled him in on the events of the few days. He questioned - and then ridiculed - her choice of an Eevee rather than a Pokemon with powerful and specialized attacks. They argued for a bit, then Emma ended the conversation.

She then called the Pokemon center where she had worked, thanking Nurse Joy for the letter of recommendation.

"Oh, of course, dear! It was no problem; I'm eager to hear of your success. The Joys in all of Kanto and Johto's Pokemon centers know about you, and I'm sure they'd gladly hire you for a few days if you're short on funds. You're definitely going to be missed here!"

Emma then explained her name and appearance change, worrying about the potential consequences. Joy reassured her that with extreme circumstances like hers, the PIA was generally compassionate and understanding, and would probably allow the false name if she intended to make the name change permanent. Emma sighed in relief. She would be alright.

* * *

><p>Author's Note<p>

For purposes of this story, I've defined some parts of the world that are either a change from the anime, or weren't even mentioned in the anime:

• Trainers tend to start their adventures around age 13 rather than 10.  
>• Major towns are connected by trains and paved roads, with well-defined dirt roads going to the smaller towns. There are also hiking paths following similar routes.<br>• Most people only have Pokemon as pets. Being a successful coordinator, trainer, etc., is very lucrative but also very difficult.


	3. Chapter 3

Metamorphosis

Chapter 3

* * *

><p>Lightning cracked outside. Thunder shook the bed. Emma hugged Jonah under the covers. These storms rolled in a week ago, and Oak insisted that she stay until they had passed.<p>

It didn't seem like she had been waiting that long. She had plenty of options to keep busy, and Oak and Tracey seemed to greatly enjoy her company. Tracey in particular spent much of his free time with her; Emma suspected he didn't get much time with people around his own age.

Emma spent most of her time training with Jonah. Tracey had shown them a large gym with a customizable agility course. They ran its many variations, with Tracey timing them, until they could hardly stand. The routine they settled into became a source of comfort for Emma, and soon she found herself truly relaxing here.

Jonah was a dream to train. Still, she had no real way to coach him in battle if she didn't have someone else's help. Tracey had hinted, but she didn't want to ask him. His Marill and Venonat had no real battle experience, and his Scyther was so old he would tire before Jonah. That left Emma with only Gary, and his extremely well-trained and powerful Pokemon.

Lightning lit up the night sky again. Emma hadn't asked Gary yet. He didn't seem to want to be here, and she wasn't sure if he would direct his sullen mood into aggression towards her.

Jonah cuddled up to Emma and purred. The first few nights had been rough for him, but he was steadily overcoming his fear of storms.

Lightning struck the building with a deafening crack! that startled both Pokemon and trainer. Now it was truly quiet, devoid of that low hum of electricity, never noticed until it was gone. Footsteps echoed down the hall. Someone knocked.

Emma dressed quickly and opened the door. Tracey ushered her into the hallway, closing the door behind Jonah. He shined his flashlight at Emma, blushing as he noticed her lacy low-cut tank she used for sleeping. She turned away from the light.

"The storm is getting bad, so Professor Oak wants everyone to gather in an interior room."

They ran to an empty conference room. Oak, Gary, and a soaking wet stranger greeted them. Oak introduced her as Delia Ketchum.

"My house isn't built to take this kind of weather." She pulled a towel tighter around her shoulders and smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

Tracey handed out blankets, and everyone huddled under them, trying to relax. Delia happily told Emma all about her son Ash, a very successful trainer, and how proud he made her. Gary cheerfully supplied stories from their childhood. Tracey told of Ash's victory in the Orange League, from his native Orange Islands. Delia told Emma about his current travels, and all the friends he made. She sighed dreamily.

"He keeps traveling with female companions, and I keep wondering when he'll get around to marrying one of them."

Gary laughed heartily. "I can't imagine Ash ever getting married. He's too oblivious to girls for that to happen."

"Well, what about you, Gary?" Delia turned to him with a teasing twinkle in her eye. "You're the same age. Any girls catch your fancy?"

Gary shook his head, smoothly explaining the rarity of female researchers within a non-creepy age range. "And even if you don't limit it to researchers, there are few girls who would be okay with seeing me as sporadically as they'd have to. Career comes first." Delia agreed, then directed the question to Tracey, who blushed and stammered.

"Well," Oak drawled, sounding remarkably like his grandson, "there is this girl he calls every few days…"

"Shut up! Stop! Stop! It's not like that with her. She's just a friend!"

A sudden booming roll of thunder effectively quieted the group.

"I can't remember the storms ever being this bad." Delia nearly whispered, she was so quiet.

"MIME!"

A Mr. Mime appeared in the middle of the room with arms full of sleeping bags, his inappropriately loud and cheerful greeting startling everyone except Delia. She lit up like a light.

"Oh, Mimey, you made it!"

She hugged him until he struggled away. The two of them distributed sleeping bags, and one by one, everyone relaxed and dozed off.

...

Emma woke just before dawn. Her eyes felt sore and dry, and her eyelids burned from inadequate sleep. Stretching, she squirmed out of the sleeping bag, rolled it up, and folded the blanket on top of it. Jonah also stretched awake and yawned.

They walked back to their room in silence. Once inside, Emma opened the curtains and could hardly believe her eyes as she looked over the meadow: the sky was perfectly clear, not a cloud in sight. She smiled and crawled into bed next to the already settled Jonah, sleeping much more comfortably here.

...

"Your Eevee should learn Shadow Ball," Gary mused. Emma shot him a glare.

"His name is Jonah."

"Well, I'm going to have Umbreon teach Jonah to cast Shadow Ball. It's useful and unexpected. Do you know which gym you'll challenge first?"

Emma shrugged. Despite Gary's gruff and teasing manner today, he seemed to be in a pretty good mood. He seemed quite enthusiastic when she asked for his help with training Jonah, and they had spent the better part of the day getting her and her Eevee accustomed to battling. Emma turned her gaze to the Pokemon. Jonah was battered and exhausted, clearly out of his league against the disciplined Umbreon. They stood in the center of the field, and Umbreon demonstrated the process of gathering energy and launching it.

"Jonah is a fierce fighter. I think the two of you will go far." Gary leaned on the tree trunk and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm going to be leaving for Sinnoh next Sunday. That's a good a time as any for you to take off. I'd recommend the Pewter gym - their Pokemon are tough and physical, but don't hold up as well to attacks like Shadow Ball."

Emma thought for a moment. "I don't want to be a one-trick trainer."

Gary smirked. "It's also one of the easiest gyms in Kanto."

Emma couldn't help but laugh. Yes, she would take on the Pewter gym first. Gary smiled at her, looking far more cheerful than he had his entire stay here.

Jonah by now had formed Shadow Balls fairly reliably, and was casting them at a speedy Umbreon.

"Jonah, lead him a little! Aim where he's going to be, not where he is now!" Emma shouted. He adjusted, and soon was clipping Umbreon's ears and tail with the attack.

"Umbreon is having a blast," Gary said, still smiling. "He doesn't get to battle very much anymore. I'm sure he misses it."

Emma nodded, and glanced at Gary, seeing the wistful look in his eyes. He missed it, too.

The two Pokemon soon tired of the target practice and began scuffling. Jonah held his own fairly well, especially for being so worn out.

"Hey Emma, come on in!" Tracey called from the back door. "Dinner is ready!"

Umbreon and Jonah immediately forgot their brawl and dashed inside. Gary laughed. "Hey Gary, go starve!" He murmured in a sing-song voice, mimicking Tracey. Emma laughed as well, and they followed their Pokemon inside.

Dinner was stir-fried baby vegetables with noodles, and Tracey sat a bowl and chopsticks in front of her. This was a much more decadent treat than Emma ever had at home.

She frowned. Thinking of it as home felt uncomfortable. She didn't feel like she could ever really return there. It was probably accurate to call herself homeless.

Tracey placed his hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"Yes. I'm fine." Emma spoke in a clipped voice, glaring at his hand and shooting him a back-off look. He obeyed, looking a little sullen. Still, he wouldn't stop glancing at her, and she couldn't eat with him there. "Come on, Jonah." Emma stood and brought her dinner to her room, while Jonah, full and exhausted, slept on her bed.

...

Jonah learned quickly, effectively dodging attacks from Gary's Blastoise by the end of the week, and successfully and accurately casting Shadow Ball at a moving target. Gary offered Emma many bits of advice, and encouraged her to take the path between towns on foot rather than by train, so she could find some wild Pokemon.

"I had a chauffeur, and while I thought it was awesome at the time, I wish I had been able to spend that time alone, bonding with my Squirtle."

...

Delia, after learning of Emma's lack of traveling gear, insisted on giving her one of Ash's many old sleeping bags. It was clearly used and almost worn out, but Emma appreciated it just the same. Delia was the nurturing sort who gave without expectation, a refreshing change from the life Emma left behind.

Sunday morning, Emma and Jonah sat in Oak's lab office as he examined the young Eevee. He chatted about nothing in particular, setting Jonah on the floor when he finished.

"Eager to begin your journey?"

"Excited for sure. Thank you so much for your kind hospitality, Professor."

"Oh, not at all! It's been great for me to observe the initial weeks between a trainer and her first Pokemon." He paused to make a few notes on his clipboard. "And try to get back here in three weeks, like planned."

An hour later, Emma sat on her bed packing her bag, trying to remain cheerful. This wasn't goodbye. She would be back soon. But as she slumped over her bag, she couldn't help but wonder if this was what it really felt like to leave home.

After scouring the room to make sure nothing was left behind, Emma set out to find Tracey and Oak and say her goodbyes. She didn't have to go very far, finding them in the kitchen eating lunch. Tracey smiled at her and offered some food; she declined.

"Excited to start your journey? I don't suppose I'd find you sprawled over a rock on the road to Viridian."

"Haha, no, Gary and I are going directly to Viridian tonight."

Tracey effected concern. "How will you get there? Do you need a ride?"

Gary laughed from the doorway. "I am perfectly capable of driving my own car." Tracey colored, and Gary turned to Emma. "Did you get everyone's number?"

Tracey eagerly volunteered his, giving Emma the lab's number as well. Everyone exchanged farewells and hugs, and Gary led Emma out to the garage. Jonah sat on the hood of a convertible.

"Well, you little rascal, eager to get out?"

Jonah trilled.

"He followed me out here. Clearly he's fond of my car."

"That's your car?"

"Yep. Having a nice ride like that makes traveling all the more enjoyable." He took Emma's bag and put it in the trunk. "Well, ready to travel in style?"

"For sure."

Gary opened the garage door and got in the driver's seat. The engine started with a roar. Jonah bolted up the windshield and into the car through the open top, settling in by Emma's feet. Gary revved the engine and pulled out onto the road as Tracey stared from the lab window.

All Emma noticed was the refreshing breeze through her hair and the nervous Eevee at her feet - though he did seem calmer now. She leaned back in her seat and laced her fingers together behind her head.

Now she had a chance to truly enjoy the scenery. So she did, gazing out the window at the trees, rolling hills, and occasional meadows. Soon Jonah climbed up onto her lap, watching the landscape with her.

Once they reached paved roads, Gary stopped to raise the top, then continued on at a much faster speed. They reached the outskirts of Viridian City within a half hour. Gary slowed to a stop.

"Where would you like me to drop you off?"

Emma pulled out her map and studied it. "How about the road going north to the forest? Wait, no - I need to find a pokemart."

"I know where it is." After a bit of maneuvering through city streets, Gary pulled up to the front of the store and shut off his car. "I'll help you pick out supplies, okay? I've done this before."

Emma nodded and they walked inside. Gary was very efficient - in only a few minutes, he found Emma a compass, a much better map, some first aid supplies, travel rations, and a few pokeballs. He carried everything to the counter; the clerk looked shocked.

"G-G-Gary Oak-k!" he stammered.

"I'm helping my grandfather's new research assistant," Gary smoothly replied. The clerk looked down at the green trainer card clipped to Emma's belt, nodded, and rang up the supplies at a substantial discount. Emma stared at Gary in shock as she fished her wallet out of her bag. Trying to maintain a calm demeanor like his, she thanked the clerk and paid, following Gary out the door.

"What was that?" she demanded. Gary smirked.

"Gramps and I are both pretty famous, and that green card of yours is a fairly strong status symbol."

"So that guy just gave me a massive discount - just because of that?"

"Of course! He was starstruck." Gary reached into his pocket and pulled out his Pokegear. "Let's exchange numbers. Call me if you have any questions. Gramps is very busy and Tracey is honestly pretty clueless about training - though if you ever want to try Pokemon watching, he's the guy you need."

They exchanged numbers. "Won't you be just as busy as your grandfather?" Emma asked.

He gave her a wry smile. "I'll make time." He shook her hand and wished her well, then crouched and scratched Jonah between the ears. "You're gonna keep Umbreon's legacy strong, right?" Jonah trilled proudly. "Oh, and Emma, I'm quite familiar with strategies used by gym leaders, so don't hesitate to call if you want some pointers."

"Alright. See you in three weeks?"

"Nah, I won't be back to the lab for a while." He got into his car and waved. "Good luck!" The car roared and he sped off. Emma spun her compass around her finger, then clipped it to her bag.

"Ready to go, Jonah?"

…

Viridian was too busy of a city, and Emma was quite relieved to find the north road to the forest. Studying the map, she estimated it would take two days to reach Pewter City by foot.

Jonah loved the forest, and spent the first few miles darting in and out of the dense undergrowth, challenging every wild Pokemon he encountered. They were almost entirely bug Pokemon, with a few Rattata here and there. Emma wasn't too keen on bug types; however, several trainers here were nearly obsessed with them. And with her, thanks to her green card.

"Oh! Oh! An elite trainer! Battle me! Teach me everything you know!"

"Oooo, look at that green trainer card. You must think you're so special, hmm? My Pokemon will show you otherwise! Go, Beedrill!"

Explaining that she was simply a research assistant for Professor Oak did not have the intended effect of quelling their admiration or contempt for her; it made it more extreme. After a while, she simply accepted their challenges and wearily directed Jonah to dispatch their Pokemon. He did, with ease and enthusiasm.

Deeper into the forest, trainers were few and far between. Jonah was only beginning to tire, but the sun was setting and Emma decided to set up camp. Off the path, she found a small grassy clearing with a dry patch that had been used for campfires in the past. She gathered up some dry kindling and a few branches, setting up the fire but struggling to light it.

"Need some help?" A young female trainer stood at the edge of the clearing, pokeball in hand. Emma welcomed her. The girl sent out a Ponyta, who quickly lit the fire and laid down in the grass. She then released an Abra and a Wartortle. "I hope you don't mind. They haven't been out all day. Why don't you let yours out?"

"He already is. I tend to keep him out of his pokeball." Jonah climbed up Emma's shoulder.

"But your card… don't you have any other Pokemon?"

"No, just Jonah." Emma considered this girl for a moment. She didn't seem like the starstruck type. "I'm a research assistant for Professor Oak. My name is Emma, by the way."

"I'm Kayla. It's nice to meet you."

They chatted for a while. Kayla was thirteen. She had started her journey two months ago and already had two badges, which she proudly showed Emma.

"This one's from Pewter, and this one's from Cerulean," she said, pointing to each. "Pewter is all rock and ground type, so Wartortle - he was a Squirtle then - took them all out pretty well. Cerulean was really difficult without an electric or grass type, but Abra did a really good job. He knows hypnosis, so…" Kayla shrugged and smiled as if that explained everything.

Emma pressed her for details of the Pewter gym. The arena was dimly lit and full of rocks. Forrest, the gym leader, was very young and it seemed some of the Pokemon weren't that attached to him; Steelix and Rhyperior were his toughest and most loyal. His Steelix tended to exploit the terrain, using tunnels to launch surprise attacks.

"I think he goes easy on trainers. Apparently, he's tougher than his older brother and dad - they used to be gym leaders - and that's why he's in charge now."

Emma then told Kayla a little bit about Johto. It was more quaint and old-fashioned, with the exception of the massive Goldenrod City. She didn't share too much though, using the excuse that she hadn't really traveled it.

"What made you want to start your journey in Kanto rather than closer to home?"

Emma racked her brain for an answer. "Oh, uh, well… it's closer to Professor Oak's lab, and he wants me to check in with him fairly often."

"Oh, duh! Of course, research assistant and all." Kayla smiled, not seeming to have noticed Emma's hesitation. "Oh!" she shouted, making Emma jump, "did you get to meet his grandson Gary? He's soooo cute." She finished with a squeal. Emma figured now would be a good time to outright lie.

"Hmm, I'm not sure. Does he have brown hair? Kinda tall?"

"Yes!"

"I think I saw him, but we never actually met. I just thought he was another lab assistant, if it was him at all." But now she was confused. "Is he famous in Kanto or something?"

Kayla immediately reached into her bag and pulled out a Teen Trainer magazine. Emma recognized it from the waiting room at the Pokemon center. Kayla eagerly explained that Gary was featured in every Most Eligible edition as one of the top five most eligible bachelors among men of Pokemon.

"And he's only eighteen!" She hugged the magazine and sighed dreamily, leaning back until her head hit the grass. She stretched and yawned. "Hey, can I camp here with you? I won't be any trouble, promise!"

"Sure. It's not a problem."

They both unrolled their sleeping bags. Kayla also set up a simple A-frame tent for herself and her Pokemon. Emma crawled into her sleeping bag with Jonah, staring up at the sky as the stars slowly emerged. Having lived in a big city her entire life, she had never seen so many. It looked like the sky had been dusted with them. It was beautiful.


	4. Chapter 4

Metamorphosis

Chapter 4

* * *

><p>Emma woke when the sun had just risen over the horizon, not that it was very visible through the trees. Kayla had already packed up and left, and her Wartortle had put out the fire.<p>

Emma sat up, startling Jonah awake as he rolled off her chest and onto her lap. "Sorry Jonah." She scratched his head even though he growled at her. "Come on, let's get up." She got out of the sleeping bag and cleaned up the camp site, leaving no indication they had been there save for warm, wet ashes and soft indents in the grass.

They ate breakfast as they walked, Jonah sitting on Emma's shoulder. The packaged rations were surprisingly tasty, but Emma knew she would tire of them quickly and planned to look for more varieties - or maybe even some fruits and vegetables that didn't need to be refrigerated.

Emma was so lost in thought that she didn't hear labored chirping in the bushes. Jonah did, however, and jumped down to investigate. He tugged on her leg.

"Hm? What's up?" Snapped out of her daydream, Emma heard the sound as well and crouched down, looking through the undergrowth. Motion under one bush caught her attention, and she reached in. Whatever it was clawed and bit at her, and it tried to get away, but despite all the rustling noises it made, it couldn't move very far.

"Hey Jonah, can you flush it out from behind?"

He prowled around to the back of the bush, jumping back and forth in his low stance, startling the thing into Emma's hands. She quickly pulled it into her lap.

It was a Pidgey, badly injured with a broken wing and several cuts. Even though it squirmed, trying to escape, Emma held it steady and immediately reverted to her critical care nurse mode. The cuts were cleaned and bandaged; the dislocated leg was set and wrapped to keep the swelling down. Just as Emma tried to wrestle the Pidgey still to splint the wing, someone kicked her in the shoulder. She wheeled around, jumping to her feet, still cradling the Pidgey. A tall young woman - probably around nineteen or twenty years old - looked down her nose at Emma.

"What the hell is your problem?" Emma shouted. "You do not interrupt me while I'm caring for a Pokemon! I need to get this Pidgey calmed down and stabilized so I can take it to a Pokemon center, and unless you're offering to help, you can keep going on your way."

The young woman scoffed. "What should I care about some useless wild Pokemon. No, I want to see yours, little miss I'm-so-important elite trainer. Battle me! Now!"

"No!" Emma shouted so loud her voice jumped an octave, making the young woman jump in surprise. "I'm not an elite trainer. I am a research assistant! Get out of my face!"

"Hmph! Then what is that ratty thing?" She pointed at Jonah like one would point at moldy bread he or she nearly ate. Jonah growled and crouched, raising his hackles.

"Are you going to leave me alone?"

"No! I deserve one of those elite cards far more than some little brat like you, and I'm going to prove it."

Emma shrugged and resumed caring for the terrified Pidgey. "Fine then. Jonah, keep her busy." Jonah bared his fangs as the woman stammered. "Well?" Emma demanded, "Are you going to battle my Pokemon or not?"

The stranger composed herself and sent out an Electabuzz. Jonah shouldn't have a problem - he had battled Gary's Electivire many times in training.

"You know what to do, Jonah."

He did. He danced around the Electabuzz, dodging its attacks and returning them in kind with a barrage of Swifts, careful not to make bodily contact. While he distracted the irritating trainer, Emma managed to hold the Pidgey still long enough to splint its wing. It cried in pain after all the rough handling, so Emma sprayed a bit of Potion on it. Though the pain killer helped ease Pidgey's cries, the little Pokemon still struggled. Emma sighed, turning to the haughty trainer just in time to see Jonah knock out Electabuzz.

"Before you reach for your next Pokemon, do any of yours have a move like Sleep Powder or Hypnosis or Sing?"

She simply stared at Emma.

"If you aren't going to make yourself useful, get out of my way."

"No!" She snapped out of her reverie. "I challenged you to a Pokemon battle!"

"Look, you dense bitch, this Pidgey is badly injured, in severe pain, and needs rest. Now you either bring out a Pokemon that can put him to sleep, or I will beat the plentiful shit out of you."

She fumbled with her pokeballs, eventually sending out a Butterfree. It regarded its trainer with contempt. Emma sighed, stepping forward to speak to it.

"Hey Butterfree, I'd like to ask you a favor." It perked up and studied Emma. "This Pidgey is hurt and in pain, and needs to sleep so I can take it to a Pokemon center. Can you use your sleep powder on it?"

It happily acquiesced, respect for Emma shining in its eyes. The little Pidgey fell limp in Emma's hands, and she likewise relaxed. She then leveled a glare at the woman before her.

"Whatever you're trying as a trainer, you're doing it wrong. Your Pokemon deserve your respect and love; you're a team, not a master with slaves."

She came up with some ludicrous reply, but Emma ignored it, tucking the Pidgey in with the clothes to keep it cushioned. She also put away the trainer card; it brought her far too much trouble here.

"Well, are we going to finish our battle?"

Emma stood. "No."

She sputtered. "Why not?"

"Because you're unimportant and careless, and I have no desire to cause your Pokemon pain over that." She carefully shouldered her bag and continued on her way, praising Jonah for fighting so well. He wasn't even winded.

They walked on relatively uninterrupted. By late afternoon, the trees had thinned and the road curved east. Trainers were also more frequent, but they held off on their challenges when she told them of the Pidgey, instead encouraging and complimenting her. It was a refreshing change from the morning's stress.

Now, as the sun began to set, she could see the outskirts of Pewter City. She picked up the pace, hoping to get in town and to the Pokemon center soon. She passed a few houses and stopped a man walking along the road to ask for directions. He pointed the way and she nearly ran there.

Oh, thank goodness! Emma's relief upon seeing the red building was beyond measure. She dashed inside and skidded to a halt, swinging her bag up onto the counter and pulling out Pidgey.

"It's urgent," she gasped, reciting her diagnosis to Nurse Joy.

"This is a wild Pokemon! How on earth…?"

"I'm Emma - I worked at the Goldenrod Pokemon center."

Nurse Joy smiled and greeted her warmly, taking Pidgey to the back. She returned after a few minutes.

"Is that Eevee yours?"

"Yep! He's the best. His name is Jonah."

"He's beautiful. May I take a look at him?"

Jonah happily jumped up onto the counter, purring at all the attention. A young man from the back approached Joy, straightening his white lab coat, and updated her on Pidgey's status. He then praised Emma for such fantastic first aid.

Joy smiled. "Of course she was great. She did critical care for two years before starting out as a trainer."

He started, then smiled and returned to the back. Joy set Emma up with a room for the night, free of charge, and brought some food up a few minutes later. She knocked on the door, tray in hand, and opened it to find Emma and Jonah already asleep.

...

The Pokemon center was at once familiar and alien. The counter had the same shape, but was made of a different material. The vase of Kanto flowers sat on the same table as the Johto flowers did in Goldenrod. The air smelled of disinfected metal exam tables, cool tile floors, fur and dirt and sweat and blood.

Emma turned to stare out the window. Though this one framed a pokemart, she could just see the red brick clothing store. The white awning would flap with the sea breeze. The stylish elite of Goldenrod would often stop and point at the window display, but they never entered the store.

This center's young doctor-in-training, Brock, reminded Emma of one of the janitors from her old job. He would spend most of his shift sweeping the lobby, flirting with even the plainest female trainers to walk through the front door. He used to do the same to Emma, until he interrupted her during an emergency. He had grabbed her butt. She had automatically spun on her heel and slapped him, splattering blood across his face. Oh, yes. He kept his distance after that. She never learned his name. Never cared to.

Fortunately, Brock seemed to have found a willing recipient of his affections in Nurse Joy. He had apparently given up a promising career as a breeder so he could train as a doctor and be close to her.

Emma studied the pokeball in her hand. Pidgey had steadily improved over the past week, flapping his wings and trying to fly just that morning. She could release him back to the wild - that was the original plan - but she had bonded with the little Pokemon and didn't really want to see him go.

Jonah seemed fond of him, too. When he wasn't out fighting scores of bug Pokemon with Emma, he observed Pidgey from across the recovery room, quickly fetching someone if he thought help was needed.

"What's on your mind, Emma?" Brock walked up to the counter, removing his rubber gloves and tossing them in the trash can Emma knew was there.

"It's so odd to be on this side of the counter." She glanced at the pokeball once more. "I'm thinking of keeping and training the Pidgey."

"That sounds like a great idea. Saving a Pokemon's life creates an instant bond. I'm sure Pidgey would gladly join you." Brock smiled, grabbing a clipboard and calling a trainer's name. The boy approached and Brock updated him on his Pokemon's status, smiling at Emma once the boy left. "What do you plan to do next?"

"Defeat the Pewter Gym."

Brock gave her an odd look. "With just one Pokemon?"

"Well, it would be two with Pidgey."

"Pidgey won't be up to taking that kind of damage for a while."

Emma shrugged. "I'm in no hurry. And besides, can't I just specify a one on one battle?"

"Mmm, I suppose. He'd probably use Rhyperior. Likes to use that as a teaching lesson for cocky trainers. The type who think that grooming a type advantage is better than just developing a well-rounded team."

"Do you see a lot of that here?"

"Not really. He suggests three Pokemon each when trainers challenge him."

Emma sighed and stretched out on a lobby chair. "I'm really surprised. Johto gym leaders liked to keep us as much in the dark as possible. Are all Kanto leaders this open?"

Brock laughed lightly. "No, not at all. Forrest is my brother."

"What?" Emma stared at him. "You used to be the gym leader."

He smiled, but he didn't volunteer any more information, and Emma didn't ask.

…

Pidgey shakily held himself up on Emma's arm. She held his legs with her free hand, stabilizing him so he could stretch his wings.

"Ready to fly?"

He drew his wings in, ready to flap. Emma tossed him up into the sky.

Watching him fly away, Emma felt a mix of pride and regret. She had saved his life. She had given him back to the wild. Jonah sensed her sadness and rubbed up against her legs. She smiled and crouched down to pet him. He was a great little Pokemon. An odd breeze ruffled Emma's hair, and Pidgey fluttered to the ground a few feet away.

"Hey little guy, need another lift?" Emma picked him up again, but he refused to perch on her arm. Instead, he gave her a meaningful look and folded his wings over her arms. Emma grinned and set him on the ground, rifling through her bag for the pokeballs. Pidgey puffed his chest proudly as she took aim, threw, and caught him.

"Well, Jonah, looks like you got yourself a traveling companion." She picked up the pokeball and nestled it in the cargo pockets on her pants. "I need a better way to carry these."

So she set out to the pokemart to find some kind of pokeball belt. The clerk there just shrugged at her question.

"You might be better off if you checked a coordinator-specific store. They tend to have more of the clothing items."

He didn't even give her directions. Emma briefly considered flashing her green trainer card in his face, but decided against it. Didn't that kind of thing work best when it wasn't pointed out?

Instead, she just sighed and left, wandering the retail district with Jonah. She wasn't quite sure what to look for in a coordinator shop. She never really encountered them at the center.

Eventually she saw a show advertising pokeball seals in the window with a blurb about contests. A small bell rang when she opened the door. Inside, she saw a massive TV screen with a small audience. She glanced around, then approached the register counter.

"Is someone here?" There was no bell for her to ring to ask for service.

"Shh!" Someone in the audience hushed her. Emma sighed and rifled through the shelves. The same person admonished her to be quieter. "What kind of coordinator are you? Just completely disregarding the Grand Festival?"

"I'm not a coordinator," Emma whispered in reply.

A different audience member stood and approached Emma. "You've picked a bad time. Please leave. We're closed." She shooed Emma and Jonah out the door, flipping over the OPEN sign to read CLOSED.

Emma shut her eyes, tilted her head back, and sighed. Her throat tightened up and burned. She missed the lab. She missed the easy camaraderie. She missed Delia. She missed Professor Oak and Tracey. A breeze picked up and stirred around her feet, whipping her hair. She missed Gary.

...

"Emma! It's great to hear from you!" Tracey's smile lit up the small screen on the Pokegear. Emma stretched out on the bed, laying on her stomach with the phone in front of her. Jonah sat on her back with his paws on her shoulder.

"Same to you. How have things been back in Pallet?"

He eagerly told her all kinds of stories. There had been a new trainer the previous day; he picked a Squirtle, and the two seemed to get along quite well. The entire week was devoid of storms. A traveling trainer stopped by to check on his Pokemon.

Oak also stopped by for a bit to chat. Emma told him all about Pidgey.

"That's really quite fascinating. You essentially treated it like your own Pokemon before catching it, and it still formed the same bond even without being captured?"

"It really does seem like it."

"That's fantastic, Emma!" Tracey pushed back into view.

She smiled. It was great to see them again. Oak complimented her progress with Jonah, and encouraged her to take on the Pewter Gym. After some cursory small talk, Emma said her goodbyes.

Ugh. Her face felt gross. A quick washing made the skin feel better, but she really had to figure out some better disguise makeup.

Returning to the bedroom area, Emma grabbed Pidgey's pokeball and released him. He stretched his wings on her bed and relaxed.

"I can't really nickname you, can I? I'm so used to calling you Pidgey." She stroked his back as he chirped contentedly. She sat down on the corner of the bed and grabbed her Pokegear. Talking with Tracey and Oak had been nice, but she missed conversations with Gary most of all.

"Should I call him?" she asked aloud to no one in particular. He had told her of his research, and it was definitely important and time-consuming. But he had also said he would make time for her. Her clock said 7:03. Surely it was late enough for him to be done with the day's work, right? She brought up his name in the contacts and called. The phone rang four or five times, and she nearly hung up, but just then the screen lit up.

"Emma!" The image distorted as Gary wiped water off the camera. Once it was clean, she could see him smiling widely.

"Gary, hi! Uh… Are you outside? And you're all wet!"

He was. Rain plastered his hair to his face, running down his skin in little streams from each clump of hair. His lab coat had splotches of mud all over it. But despite the mess, he looked so much more alive than he ever did at the Oak Lab.

"Yes! Isn't it great?" He simply glowed. "It's been raining all week, but the dig is going really well." He turned and called over his shoulder, "Do you mind if I call it a night?" Someone shouted back that he should get out of there already, and he laughed. "Emma, I have so much to tell you!" He was walking now, the image on the screen bobbing with each step.

"Then tell me all about this dig." Emma thoroughly enjoyed stories of his discoveries.

"Oh, it's great! There's this marshy area in Sinnoh - it's so cool, I have to show you some time - and there are some areas that act like bogs and if you dig down deep enough, you can find fossilized - preserved - remains of ancient Pokemon." His enthusiasm for this project seeped through the phone, and Emma felt excited about it with even the simplest connection.

Gary entered some kind of trailer and closed the door. "Hold on, I'm going to put the Pokegear down." He set it on a dresser, slightly propped up, and continued telling her about his finds while he stripped out of his soaked clothes. "I'll be just a few minutes!" he called from off screen. The sound of a shower reached her for a minute or two, and she killed time by helping Pidgey move his wing to preen his feathers. Soon Gary returned to his Pokegear, ruffling his hair with a towel, wearing only pajama pants.

"Hey, sorry to make you wait. I just had to rinse off." He plopped down on his bed hard enough to bounce a few times, and rolled over to his stomach. "So tell me, what have you been up to?"

Emma took a moment to gather her thoughts; she had been too distracted by Gary's surprisingly muscular build, and that made her blush.

"Well, I haven't challenged the gym yet. Been mostly training Jonah. And I got a new Pokemon, look!" She held the camera toward Pidgey, who curiously examined the Pokegear.

"Very charming. How did you choose him?"

"Well, he really chose me." Emma told him of Pidgey's injury, of taking him to the Pokemon center, and of the snooty trainer she met first encountered Pidgey. That then became a rant about all the trouble the green trainer card had brought her. By the end of it, she and Gary were laughing so hard they had tears in their eyes.

"And that little kid thought his Metapod would stand a chance against an elite trainer?"

"Man, I don't even know anymore."

They dissolved into giggles once more. Gary's faded, and he seemed to study Emma.

"Emma, why do you wear so much makeup? You're lovely without it."

Oh, shit! She had washed it all off and he could see exactly what she looked like. Her fear must have shown on her face, because his voice softened and he asked if she was alright. She racked her brain for an excuse. Could she trust him?

"I… I didn't exactly have the best people around me back in Johto. I don't want to be easily recognizable until I have stable footing here."

He smiled softly. "You do have it, with me and Gramps and Tracey."

She smiled back, swallowing hard, trying not to get all choked up. She desperately needed to change the subject. And make it lighter. She mimicked his tone of voice.

"Gary, why do you insist on wearing shirts all the time? You're lovely without them." She busted up laughing at his wide eyes. "Seriously though! You didn't get all those muscles by reading books and examining fossils!"

He laughed and flexed an arm. "What if I did? Nah, I do all the hard labor at sites like this. Digging and setting up and such. Most researchers aren't as young and strong as I am, so they give me the physical jobs."

"Which only makes you stronger."

"And younger."

"Hah!"

"Oh, but it's true!" He tried to keep a straight face, but it quickly transitioned into a smirk and then a broad grin. "I'm so glad you called. This research is great and I love it, but researchers aren't a very fun or humorous bunch."

"Yeah, I felt so lonely today, and I called the lab earlier this afternoon, but your grandpa and Tracey kinda suck at conversation."

"It's really the worst. I love Gramps and all, but I can't stay there very long without getting bored." Gary yawned, and only then did Emma notice the bags under his eyes.

"Gary, I'm gonna let you go to bed, alright?"

"Yep. G'night Emma." He yawned again, flexed his fingers like a wave, and hung up.

Time definitely flew. They had talked for nearly two hours, and Emma's stomach growled. She wandered downstairs to the lobby, hoping Brock had the late shift so she could mooch some of his delicious cooking.


	5. Chapter 5

Metamorphosis

Chapter 5

* * *

><p>The facade of the Pewter Gym cast an imposing shadow over Emma as she approached the front doors. Jonah rubbed her legs, trying to calm her nerves.<p>

"I know, Jonah. You'll do great. You always do."

The doors creaked as Emma pulled them open. A few chairs sat just inside against the wall. Emma sat to wait, with Jonah in her lap. Soon, a boy around her age, who looked quite similar to Brock, approached her and smiled. He stood a little close.

"I'm Forrest, the gym leader. Have you come to train rock Pokemon? Or, are you here to challenge the gym?" His friendly demeanor helped calm Emma's nerves. He sounded a little hopeful that she had come to train.

"I'd like to challenge."

"Oh. Excellent! May I see your trainer card?"

She handed it over. "And may I request a one on one battle? Jonah is my only Pokemon fit for battling at the moment."

"An elite trainer!" He adopted an aggressive stance. "This shall be a real challenge!"

"No, please, I'm just a research assistant for Professor Oak!"

"Oh, show me your team! They must be wonderful."

"Just -"

"Show me!"

Emma winced and picked up Jonah. "Here. He is my team." Jonah growled at Forrest.

Forrest's face crumpled and rearranged itself into a scowl. "Are you… mocking me?"

"No, please! If you would just listen -"

"I accept your challenge!" he bellowed. "Each trainer gets three Pokemon! Father, if you would officiate, please?" He shoved the card back into Emma's hands and stalked to the battle platforms. Emma smoothed the crumpled card and hugged Jonah tight.

"Above all else, be careful, okay?" He trilled and nuzzled her cheek. They climbed the stairs to their station. Forrest struck a dramatic pose.

"Go! Rhyperior!" The massive, vicious-looking Pokemon landed in the arena with a thud.

"Okay, Jonah, do your best." Emma fingered his pokeball, ready to recall him if things got bad. He jumped down gracefully and tried to look intimidating.

Forrest stared at Emma, but she only looked at her Eevee. She also looked terrified - and well she should. Rhyperior would take her down a notch for her self-righteous mocking.

"Rhyperior! Horn drill!"

"Jonah, evade! Use Quick Attack to boost your speed!"

He darted up a rock tower. Rhyperior adjusted his trajectory and crashed into the tower, causing it to crumble. Jonah jumped off and ran away. A few moments later, a Shadow Ball hit Rhyperior in the back.

"Earthquake!" Rhyperior stomped the ground, and it began shaking, forcing Jonah out into the open. Rhyperior charged again, even with the ground still trembling.

"Jonah, hold steady! Endure and Counter! At once!" Emma gripped the metal railing. Her knuckles were white; the skin around them, dark pink.

"Hah! Think a feeble little Eevee can take a direct hit from Rhyperior?"

The impact sent rock shards flying and formed a dust cloud that obscured everyone's vision.

"Jonah!" Emma screamed. The cloud slowly dissipated, but even a minute later, there was no movement on the ground. She grabbed some rock fragments that had landed at her feet and threw them at Forrest in rage. One hit him square on the head.

"What the…?"

"You! What the hell is your problem!" she yelled.

"What is yours?"

"I am not an elite trainer! That card is just so I can easily travel to and from the Oak Lab so he can study my Pokemon. I've never battled a gym in my life and you treat me like this? You wouldn't even listen to me when I tried to explain!" She leaned over the railing and cried, "Jonah!"

A brown and white blur emerged from the mess, clumsily climbing up another stone tower. Rhyperior dug out of the rocks and stumbled after him. Emma gasped.

"Oh my gosh… Jonah! Chain Shadow Ball!

He launched orb after orb at the slow-moving target.

"How in the hell…" Forrest could only watch in shock as a barely conscious and obviously young Eevee steadily knocked out his powerful Rhyperior.

Rhyperior fell, to Emma's amazement. Jonah held steady for another ten seconds before Endure wore off and he too collapsed. She let out her breath and returned him to his pokeball.

"Forrest, I must forfeit. I have no more available Pokemon."

"What? No. You have another on your belt."

"He's not battle-ready! He's recovering from serious injuries sustained when he was wild."

"Bring him out!"

"No!" Emma yelled. "Fuck you! I will not compromise his healing to indulge your vanity!" She stepped down from the platform.

"Wait!"

Emma merely gave him the finger and left.

...

"He knocked out Rhyperior?" Brock stared. "How on earth did you train him?"

Emma scoffed. "Against Gary Oak's Umbreon, Blastoise, and Electivire. For nearly two weeks."

Brock shook his head. "I'll have a word with Forrest."

"No, please, it's not worth your time," Emma protested. Brock patted her shoulder.

"He's my brother. It was my gym. Of course it's worth my time."

...

Emma stood in the meadow, throwing sticks in the air for Pidgey to catch. His wing was healing nicely, and he was now regaining strength in the supporting tissues.

Jonah sat at her feet. It has been only three days since the battle. Fortunately, he had no broken bones, but he still moved stiffly and certainly felt sore. Emma had to be light with her touch or he would whimper. Spritzes of Potion helped ease the pain, but didn't vanish it.

She had been concerned that Jonah's trust in her would suffer, but he still had unwavering faith in her - in fact, he seemed to trust her even more. He was devoted, and Emma felt so fortunate to have him.

His low growl caught her attention, and Emma turned around to see Forrest - and turned right back to training Pidgey.

"Silent treatment?" He sounded meek.

"I have no desire to speak with you."

"What if I want to apologize?"

"Apologize to Jonah. He's the one suffering."

An awkward moment passed before he did apologize. Emma still ignored him.

"I want to give you this." He held out his hand, giving her a Boulder Badge when she turned around. She threw it on the ground. "Take it. You need eight badges to enter the Indigo Conference and there are only eight gyms left in Kanto." He picked it up and gave it to her once more.

"I don't wish to show any association with your gym."

"I'm sorry. I just had a bad day." He bit his lip. "Would you go out to dinner with me? So I could make it up to you?"

"No, I would not. Go away."

Jonah raised his hackles and jumped onto Forrest's leg, scratching and biting it. He yelped. Emma stood for a few indifferent moments before ordering Jonah down. Though the Eevee obeyed, he kept a close eye on Forrest, who attempted to straighten himself up and look composed.

"Brock said you're a beginning trainer."

"I am. That card is for travel, as I told you before."

"Yeah, uh…" he trailed off and gulped. "Your Eevee battles amazingly well for being so young."

"Yes. He does. Look, I really don't want to talk to you. You're interrupting my training time. Leave me alone."

He hesitated, then walked away, hanging his head. Emma returned her attention to the pile of sticks and resumed training Pidgey.

...

"I really, really hope my gym experiences improve." Emma shouldered her bag and secured her pokeball belt. "I'm taking on the Saffron Gym next. Wish me luck!"

Brock and Joy waved at Emma as she left the Pokemon Center. She was familiar enough with Pewter City by now that she could find her way east to the road to Cerulean City without needing her map. Jonah sat on her shoulder, still a bit too sore to walk the entire way.

She let Pidgey out of his pokeball. His once-stiff wingbeats were now fluid and confident. She had a little under two weeks left until she had to return to the lab. Hopefully that would give her enough time to train Pidgey to fighting fitness.

The trees surrounding Pewter City soon opened up into a dry grassland. Mountains loomed in the distance.

"Hey! Hey!" A boy around Emma's age ran up to her, striking an awkward pose and thrusting his finger at her. "I challenge you to a Pokemon battle!"

"Uh, sure."

His brow furrowed at her relaxed attitude, but his enthusiasm didn't waver as he called out a Pokemon. "Go! Sandshrew!"

Emma held out her arm for Pidgey, who perched. "You up to it?" He cawed affirmative. "Alright, let's go."

Pidgey glided to the ground and spread his wings. Sandshrew crouched lower to the ground, poised to attack. The boy glanced quickly from the Pokemon to Emma. He seemed to shrink back, softening his stance before swallowing hard. His brows arched over his eyes.

"Sandshrew! Quick Attack!"

"Take it and grab hold."

Pidgey held his ground until Sandshrew was only steps away, then launched into the air, meeting Sandshrew talons first. They sunk in with the force of the charge, and Sandshrew yelped. The two Pokemon tumbled over each other in the gravel as Pidgey furiously scratched at bit his opponent. Sandshrew grappled with him, eventually throwing him off, creating a cloud of dust.

"Pidgey, Gust."

Sandshrew capitalized on the cleared view before Pidgey, lunging and leaping through the air, and knocked Pidgey to the ground with a slightly inaccurate Tackle.

"Alright Sandshrew!" His trainer smiled widely. "Follow up with a Rollout!"

"Whirlwind!"

A powerful wind surged and tumbled the curled Sandshrew backwards. Pidgey kited the air briefly before diving on top of Sandshrew, digging his talons into his back and pecking at him, flapping his wings to remain steady as Sandshrew struggled.

"Back off, Pidgey."

He released his captive and took to the air, circling overhead. Sandshrew panted and stumbled to the ground. His trainer's face fell.

"Sandshrew! Sandshrew, get up! Don't give up!" He took a few steps forward, but hesitated and glanced at Emma, wide-eyed, before rushing to Sandshrew's side. Sandshrew perked up quickly, shaking his head and planting his feet. The boy backed up and pointed his finger at Emma.

"Bring your Pidgey back or forfeit!" he shouted. His voice wavered slightly.

"Forfeit? If you're intent on an official battle, I still have Jonah…" Emma tilted her head to the little Eevee, who growled at the mention of his name, raising his hackles and baring his fangs at the challenger, "but right now I'm just interested in training Pidgey."

Pidgey landed on her shoulder and preened his feathers. His posture sagged very slightly, and he rested some of his weight against Emma's head.

The boy sized up Emma, eyes narrowing. "Who are you?"

"Emma. Who are you?"

"Kaeden."

"You've trained your Sandshrew quite well."

He blushed and thanked her. They sat under a tree and talked about training philosophies and battle style. Kaeden preferred an aggressive, psyched-up approach to battling and was puzzled by Emma's relaxed attitude.

"I mean, I really want my Pokemon to just feel my energy. To get - to get amped-up and confident."

Emma agreed, but expressed her own preference. "I want my Pokemon to keep relaxed during stressful situations."

Kaeden was an ambitious trainer. He declared himself the future victor of the Silver Conference, and possible future Champion. He had another Pokemon, a Bulbasaur, and had been traveling on and off for nearly four months.

"Hey! Let's see your Eevee battle my Bulbasaur!"

"Oh, no, I don't think that would be fair to Jonah. He's still recovering from his gym battle." The Pokemon in question slept soundly, curled into a ball under a sunbeam.

"What happened?"

"A tower of rocks collapsed on him."

"Oh wow." Kaeden gave Jonah a sad but admiring look. "How'd he get out so unscathed?"

"He had Counter up, so it deflected most of the force."

They talked a bit more before parting ways, Emma to Cerulean and Kaeden to Pewter to challenge the gym. Jonah slept in her bag, nestled in the clothing.

The few trees were much more compact here than in Viridian Forest, and the terrain had become dry and rocky. Pidgey glided along, only flapping his wings when absolutely necessary. He was still tired from his battle with the Sandshrew. However, he did battle quite well, and Emma made sure to praise him.

After an hour of walking - nearly hiking - Pidgey swooped down and landed on her shoulder.

"Hold on, Pidgey." Emma lowered her bag to the ground and opened it, waking Jonah. "Come on Jonah, time to walk."

The little Eevee stretched his legs and back as he sauntered out of the bag, pausing between every step to target a different muscle group. His range of motion had returned to normal, and his soreness seemed to have dissipated. He sat still as Emma examined him.

"I think you're good to battle. How do you feel?"

He trilled and darted around her feet.

"Hold back on wild Pokemon, though. Today is Pidgey's first day of battling and I want to make sure he gets as much experience as possible."

Jonah took that request a bit too seriously, going off the path to find and retrieve wild Pokemon for Pidgey to battle. Weedles and Caterpies fell with ease. A Geodude gave quite a bit of trouble. Pidgey's battle with the Sandshrew gave him a large advantage when Jonah brought a wild one.

By mid-afternoon, Pidgey was exhausted. He wore out quickly in battles; what he lacked in Jonah's enthusiasm, he more than made up for in ferocity. He was a much more physical fighter, latching onto his targets and wearing them down with his relentless assault. He was also a blur compared to Jonah, inconceivably fast.

For his part, Jonah stopped dragging victims over just for them to get beat up. Emma suspected that the change was due more to concern for Pidgey than for any of the wild Pokemon.

By sunset, Emma had set up camp in a small patch of grass off the beaten path. The lack of trainers here confused her. Was it really so unusual in Kanto? Could it really be that difficult?

Emma crawled into her sleeping bag as the last rays of light danced on the horizon. Jonah curled up inside the bag as well. The night air was refreshing but chilly. Pidgey, nearly limp, returned to his pokeball for truly uninterrupted rest.

Jonah squirmed up to the opening of the bag and cuddled up with Emma's shoulder. His fur tickled her neck.

"Ready for some intense training? As soon as we get to Cerulean, it's going to be back to normal."

He trilled, which evolved into an odd vocalized yawn. Emma scratched his head and yawned as well.

…

The steep grade of the road would have been no problem in a car. A car could cover this mountain in maybe two hours, tops. But hiking it would take her all day. There were a few paths up the mountain, probably for serious hikers or trainers seeking rock-type Pokemon.

Emma paused her trek and thought for a moment. Did she want a rock-type Pokemon? They were physically very strong and able to withstand powerful attacks. No. Emma shook her head. She wanted Pokemon who she bonded with personally. Pokemon who showed their potential on an individual level. She did not want to choose a Pokemon based on something as vague as type.

But she still gazed up the path.

Jonah rubbed up against her legs, bringing her back to the present. She scratched his ears and continued on her way.

…

Mount Moon was fascinating. Emma had never been in a cave before, and she spent probably too much time exploring.

Her Pokegear rang, and she answered without a second thought.

"Hello?"

"Emma!" Her mother's snarl boomed loud enough to make the speaker crackle.

Emma hung up immediately, trembling. She was careless, stupid, thoughtless. She spun around, wildly surveying the area, expecting her mother to appear out of anywhere. Her ribs ached. Something touched her foot and she shrieked, jumping back.

Jonah stared up at her, bewildered by her behavior. Emma gulped and tried to relax. Only then did she notice she had been gasping.

She fell to her knees and gathered Jonah into her arms.

"I'm so sorry, Jonah. We have to be more careful, okay?" She tried to speak normally, but it all slurred together between gasps, sounding like a wail. "We have to be more careful."

Emma sat like that for several minutes, drawing comfort from her Eevee.

They did not explore the cave after that. Emma led Jonah along the path, never deviating, moving toward the exit as quickly as possible. A few trainers challenged her, and she sent Pidgey at them. When he tired, she substituted Jonah.

She paid little attention, instead mentally scolding herself. How could she have been so absent-minded? How could she stay one step ahead of her mother if she couldn't even think to check her phone? How could she forget something so simple?

They eventually emerged from the mountain, onto a route to Cerulean City. The paved road curved to the north, going around the mountain rather than through it.

Cerulean's lights twinkled on the horizon. The walk would only take a few more hours, but the sky was already dimming.

Well, that was just great.

Jonah rubbed up against Emma's legs. She looked down at him, meeting his intense gaze and feeling as if her very spirit would wither. He trilled and cuddled her feet, flopping over and pawing her boots. She couldn't help but bark out a laugh at his charming behavior.

…

The harbor by Cerulean City was small and fairly quaint, with just a few fishing boats. The enclosing peninsula had a lovely walking path, where Emma spent many hours, staring out to the sea.

Jonah and Pidgey made fantastic progress in their training, with Pidgey evolving into a Pidgeotto on the last day before Emma was set to return to Pallet Town.

He stretched his wings and shook the longer plumage on his head.

Emma smiled. "Well, we can't call you Pidgey any more, can we?" She petted the proud bird and eventually made the adjustment to calling him Pidgeotto.

…

Emma scouted the station quite thoroughly. She couldn't risk running into her mother now - she had too much to lose.

Upon seeing her green trainer card, the station attendant directed her to a train car with a pokeball symbol on it. Once inside, Emma breathed a sigh of relief. Her shoulders relaxed; she hadn't even realized they were tense until now.

Other trainers in the car kept to themselves. A woman around 25 years old brushed a beautiful Vulpix. Two boys Emma's age sprawled out over a couch and chatted, laughing at every other sentence.

Only then did Emma realize how much better furnished this train car was than the standard commuter car she rode in when she first came here. The sticky rubber and linoleum floors were replaced here with tile and elegant area rugs. A few armchairs and sofas were arranged around coffee tables. A writing desk sat in one corner. The middle of one wall jutted out into a small marble countertop with a heated teapot and teacups. Little pastries sat in a basket next to the tea.

This was the end of riding the commuter car.

She sat in the most private armchair, pulling out the encyclopedia she brought from home and flipping through it.

…

The first train continued south, so at its Saffron stop, Emma boarded a different train going west to Viridian. And if the previous car hadn't impressed her, this would certainly do the job. This was the train that passed the Indigo Plateau; Elite four members and Champions probably rode this more than any other train.

Exiting the train, Emma noticed many more people leaving the much more crowded commuter cars. This was the life! She only gave the station a cursory glance for her mother, then dashed outside to meet Tracey.

"Emma!" He happily spread his arms and she welcomed his hug without any shyness. It was cut short by an uncomfortable gust of wind that brought with it a chilly rain.

They ran to the Jeep, Emma taking shelter inside as Tracey hastily fastened the coated canvas roof onto the frame. By the time he joined Emma inside, his shoulders and back were nearly saturated with water. He smiled anyways.

"It's so good to see you again, Emma!"

She returned his smile. "You too. Traveling gets pretty lonely sometimes."

Tracey nodded, explaining that he never met anyone who traveled alone for very long. "You know, I have an errand to run in Cerulean. I could accompany you on your way back."

Something about that seemed very forward, but Emma agreed anyways. "I'm actually thinking of challenging the Saffron Gym first."

"Wow. Really?" Tracey glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes. "Sabrina is a really powerful leader."

"Isn't the Cerulean leader as well?"

He made a few strangled noises, trying to form words, then blushed and gave up.

As they pulled into the gravel parking area, Emma's heart soared. This was how it felt to be home!


	6. Chapter 6

Metamorphosis

Chapter 6

* * *

><p>Oak was thrilled to see Emma and her Pokemon again. He praised their bond, explaining that one as strong as they had was mostly seen in trainers who had traveled for years with the same team. He flipped to a new page in his notes and asked for her to brief him on her treatment and philosophy.<p>

Emma took a deep breath. She explained how she encouraged Jonah and Pidgeotto to help each other train. When walking, she generally had at least one out of a pokeball; sometimes she had both. Much of their training was physical conditioning that she also participated in. She treated minor cuts, scrapes, or bruises herself.

Oak smiled and thanked her, filing away the notebook designated for her study. He leaned forward and clasped his hands on the desk in front of him.

"Much of my published research, as of late, has been in more esoteric areas, rather than wide-ranging or practical. I believe that evidence showing advanced Pokemon-trainer bonds in a relatively short period of time would be a much more important study to publish. With your permission, I'd like to use you as the subject of my next paper."

Emma exhaled and leaned back. Wow. This was unbelievable. But how could she ever turn it down? The world-renowned Professor Oak himself deemed her case worth publishing to the scholarly community.

"It seems I have rendered you speechless?" His eyes twinkled in amusement.

"Yeah. Wow." She stared off into space, then shook her head briskly. "Sorry. This is just so unreal. Would I be mentioned by name?"

"No. Anonymity is standard procedure. You'd only be known as 'Trainer,' and your Pokemon by either species or a number."

Emma fidgeted. "Has the anonymity ever… failed?"

Oak sighed and nodded.

"What happened?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Well, we're not exactly sure. Somehow, the mainstream press found out the subject's identity and published it." He sighed again. "The article was rather obscure and not particularly noteworthy, so he only really suffered a minor decrease in privacy. In his case, that was mostly people approaching him in public to ask about it."

"What about mine?" Emma furrowed her brow as her imagination constructed all kinds of negative scenarios. Oak fetched the notebook out of the filing drawer and flipped through it.

"Well, it's, ah… difficult to say. There are so many variables that influence it. But if you become even half as successful as I expect, you'll be quite famous on your own." One corner of his mouth turned up as if trying to smile. He meant his words to be comforting, but they had the undesired effect of making Emma worry even more.

What kind of life would she have if she succeeded at this? Other top-rated trainers were world-famous. They were profiled in magazines like PokeMonthly or Teen Trainer. They would appear on TV, followed around by cameramen and photographers. Even mild rumors about them would spread like wildfire.

And how much of her past was she really leaving behind? What would unscrupulous reporters try to dig up? What if they found her mom? What if, by their efforts, her mom found her?

Emma lurched back, clamping her hand over her mouth, feeling her stomach turn. Oak moved to her side, helping her to her feet and pulling the chair out of her way. She stumbled to the bathroom in a haze, unsure how she even found it, and emptied her stomach into the toilet. Her hands clenched the seat with every heave.

Oak did not follow her into the bathroom, and by the time she had finished and cleaned up, he wasn't in his office. She sat around for a few minutes, then stood and gazed at his notes. What was he actually writing about her?

It was in a different language - a different alphabet, even. She leaned over the desk, looking more closely, trying to figure out which language it could be.

"Emma!"

Her head jerked up as if yanked. Oak stood in the doorway.

"How are you feeling? Are you ill?"

"No, no, I'm fine." Emma blushed and plopped down in her chair. "I don't really know what came over me."

Oak hummed and returned to his desk. "That's German, by the way." He patted the notebook and smiled at Emma as her blush darkened. "Lots of rock- and grass-type Pokemon there. Rattata, of course."

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Oak filed some papers and sent a few emails. Emma kept her eyes glued to her lap.

"Emma," he spoke in a soothing voice, "we can decide on the article later, when you're feeling better."

She nodded and left to her room.

…

The next morning, Emma piled her satchel and sleeping bag into the back seat of Tracey's Jeep. She caught her reflection in one of the side mirrors and ran her fingers through her hair. Her blond roots were beginning to show. She needed to find more of that hair dye, or a hat to hide the roots for a few more weeks.

She had also been lax on the disguise makeup. Perhaps she felt too comfortable in her relative anonymity here, or in thinking that her mother had given up on finding her.

Tracey had spent the previous evening hovering over her as much as possible, apparently having heard of her getting sick that afternoon. He kept asking questions during dinner and seemed to want to follow her back to her room, but she said something about needing to make a few phone calls.

Emma sighed. She did feel kind of bad about that. Tracey was a nice guy and there was nothing really wrong with him. But his attention could be quite overbearing and uncomfortable, especially after the afternoon's events. When she closed her door on him last night, she felt more relieved than anything.

This was her home, wasn't it? This was more her home than anywhere else. So why did she feel so alone?

"Hey Emma! Ready for an adventure?" Tracey appeared seemingly out of nowhere, smiling.

Wasn't hiking the wilderness trails with only her Pokemon for company more adventurous than getting a ride from Oak's lab assistant? She merely shrugged in reply to his question.

She kept Pidgeotto and Jonah in their pokeballs, wary of letting them out in a vehicle with no doors or roof. Tracey chatted about various subjects, but Emma didn't really pay attention, to which Tracey was oblivious.

By the time they reached pavement, Tracey had mostly quieted. He still shared the occasional story, but for the most part, the ride was silent.

They reached Viridian around noon and stopped at a little café for lunch. Emma picked at her salad. She didn't really have much of an appetite today.

"Emma?"

She looked up, unaware that she had been staring at her bowl. Tracey made some general inquiry about her health, and she struggled with the reply.

"It's okay, I understand." He reached over and patted her arm, flashing her a sympathetic half-smile. He seemed to think that she still felt sick from the prior day, when actually she had never felt sick in the first place. Now she just felt worn out and didn't know why.

Emma managed to finish her salad and they left soon after. The wind had picked up and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She pulled her sweater tighter around her shoulders.

Tracey glanced at her out of the corner of his eye fairly often, to the point where he nearly ran off the road. Emma tensed and clamped her hands onto the seat, squeezing her eyes shut. She had caught a glimpse of the ground rushing by and it made her head spin.

Once Tracey regained control of the Jeep, he kept his eyes glued to the road.

Emma breathed slowly, and she eventually opened her eyes. Steadily, her body relaxed back into her seat.

Why hadn't she just stayed in Viridian to travel on her own? Then she could have spent time bonding with Jonah and Pidgeotto rather than sitting in a car, feeling more isolated in the company of Tracey than with no other people in sight.

…

Saffron was a huge city, much like Goldenrod, but lacking Goldenrod's youthful energy. Instead, it had much more of an established and old-money feel.

Emma jumped out of the Jeep at a stop sign.

"Wait - what are you doing?"

"Hold on, Tracey. I need to get my things out of the back." She stood on the rear fender and reached for her satchel as Tracey stammered at her.

"What's going on?" His eyes were wide and his jaw slack. He twisted farther to get a better look at Emma.

"Didn't I tell you I want to challenge the Saffron Gym next?" She shouldered her satchel and reached for her sleeping bag.

"But - hey, I can wait for you. Don't you want a ride to Cerulean?"

She tucked the sleeping bag under her arm and jumped off the Jeep. "No, I'd really rather walk. Thank you for the ride here."

"Oh, come on! You could take out two gyms in one day!"

"Are you insane?" Emma ran her hand through her hair and half-glared at him. "I'm not going to just waltz into the Saffron Gym, beat it, drive to the Cerulean Gym, and beat that, all in what, four hours?" She huffed and shook her head. "Besides, Gary said I should take the walking paths on my own to bond with my Pokemon. After today, I can see why."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"

Emma ignored his shouts and walked into an alley between shops. She came out the other side in the central shopping district. After taking a moment to orient herself on her map, she figured out the route to the Pokemon center.

The door gave a cheery jingle when Emma opened it, rather than the usual digital chime. An older Nurse Joy came to the counter holding a large, rolled-up poster.

"Oh my stars, are you Emma? From the Goldenrod center?" She held her free hand over her heart.

"Uh, yes, how did you know?"

"Thank the heavens! Brock sent word that you'd be here some time soon. We're a bit short-handed here, and I need someone to do the basic housekeeping in the exam rooms. Would you be able to help until I can hire someone local? Paid, of course."

"Sure. I mean, that would be great, actually. I also wanted to rent a room here for a few days."

Nurse Joy laughed. "Rent? Ha! Don't you know that all center employees - even former," she added with a wink, "get free lodging at all locations?" She grabbed a roll of tape and walked to the window, hanging the poster. It advertised the available cleaning position.

"When would you like me to start, Nurse Joy?" Emma clasped her hands in front of her.

Nurse Joy turned and smiled at Emma. "Please, call me Camille. None of these formal titles here." She strode back to the counter and rustled through a drawer of keys. "Your room is number 15. Make yourself comfortable, alright? We don't get many visitors in the later part of the day."

Camille kept her Pokemon center in a more rustic style than the usual. The bed had a quilt rather than a generic hospital blanket, and the fixtures in the bathroom had a charming brushed brass finish. Emma sat on the bed and let Jonah and Pidgeotto out.

They both spent nearly ten minutes stretching and shaking off any feelings of captivity.

"Hey guys, I'm so sorry you were inside for so long." Emma snuggled up with them and recounted the day's events. Jonah purred at her voice. Pidgeotto preened the feathers she stroked. Both hummed with barely-controlled energy, so Emma took them outside for a walk.

Hands in her pockets and head down, Emma sighed. Telling her Pokemon about today lit a desire to share it with someone who could respond. It was so strong that she felt nearly incomplete.

Now she could understand the desire for a travel partner.

She certainly loved her Pokemon and the friendship and companionship they provided. She just wished she had a person to talk to. Tracey was out of the question; he tried way too hard to be sociable, and in doing so failed so completely that she couldn't imagine calling him just to talk. Or traveling with him, alone. Justin… well, she had gone a month without talking to him and didn't even miss him. He often reminded her of how her wings had been clipped before she left. She could call Gary. She enjoyed his conversation and he was a great conversationalist. But she hadn't talked to him since before challenging the Pewter gym, and now felt too embarrassed to renew the acquaintance.

As she walked, it began to gnaw at her. She kicked a pebble across the square. Jonah crouched and sprung after it. Jonah was the son of Gary's Umbreon...

Okay, she really did need to call him, even if only to inform him that she now had the distasteful Boulder Badge in her possession. Perhaps he also knew something about the Saffron Gym.

Jonah bounded back to Emma, carrying the pebble in his mouth. He dropped it at her feet, backed up, and pranced back and forth. She laughed and kicked it again. This time, Pidgeotto also joined the chase. The two Pokemon ended up scuffling, rock forgotten.

At least they were burning off some energy. Emma grabbed her Pokegear, finger hovering over the phone icon next to Gary's name. Should she?

She inhaled, held her breath, and sighed.

The Pokegear dropped back into her bag. She couldn't call him yet.

"Come on, guys, let's go back inside!"

…

Apparently, a glut of trainers arrived in Saffron immediately after Emma. She had been so busy at the Pokemon center that she had no time to challenge the Saffron Gym even if she'd felt ready. Camille did manage to hire a part time cleaner, but the young boy could only work four days a week. The poster remained in the window.

Emma removed her cleaning gloves and hung the mop and bucket in the utility closet. For all the old-fashioned appeal of the Pokemon center, the actual exam area was top-of-the-line and spotless. Camille did not tolerate even the minutest slip in quality.

The Saffron Pokemon center was unique in that it had two distinct teams of specialists: one for psychic and energy-based injuries, and one for blunt force trauma. Saffron apparently had two gyms, though only one was officially recognized. Given the large number of trainers coming from each one, Emma had yet to figure out which gym was part of the Indigo League and thus on her list of badges she needed to collect.

Emma untied her apron and dropped it in the laundry bin at the same time as Camille escorted a skinny young man to the back.

"Emma! This is Martin. He'll be covering the rest of the cleaning shifts."

Martin bowed politely and followed Camille as she explained his newly acquired duties.

Jonah and Pidgeotto mobbed Emma when she returned to her room. The poor Pokemon had been cooped up inside entirely too much, and so were ecstatic when she announced that they'd be going out.

Even the city square in the afternoon was too restrictive for them, so Emma wandered north. The majestic buildings soon gave way to more rustic farm houses. The farms also faded as she kept walking, and Jonah and Pidgeotto transitioned from stir-crazy and wild to curious and subdued.

By the time the tallest building in Saffron was a gray silhouette on the horizon, Emma found herself in a dry and dusty grassland. She could see the thick forest in the distance, barely. A beige haze obscured any long-range visibility.

Jonah crouched and pricked his ears. Emma followed his line of sight into a thick grassy field. Pidgeotto circled overhead, flapping as little as possible.

Emma had never seen her Pokemon this focused.

"Is it a wild Pokemon?" she asked Jonah.

He began stalking forward. This behavior was completely new and somewhat baffling. He approached most wild Pokemon almost casually, toying with them rater than really fighting them. Emma kneeled and stared into the grass. Something stared back at her.

"Gah!" Emma shouted and staggered backwards as the Pokemon leapt at her. Jonah snarled and knocked it over, despite it being several times his size. A cloud of dust kicked up, and Emma coughed when she tried to inhale.

Just as she straightened up, a large, furry mass impacted her chest.

But she didn't make it to 15 without some serious reflexes.

As she stepped back and twisted around, she managed to get a solid look at her assailant: black and orange stripes, patches of white. She pivoted on her toes and slammed the thing into the ground.

"Jonah, Shadow Ball! Pidgeotto, clear the air!"

A gust of wind blew away most of the dust cloud. Jonah darted in circles around his opponent, a Growlithe, launching Shadow Ball every few steps. The Growlithe let loose a torrent of flame at Jonah, who dodged nimbly.

"Take Down!"

The little Eevee banked and charged at the Growlithe, running through another blast of fire, lowering his body, launching himself at the Growlithe, and catching its tail in the midst of its dodge.

Well, it worked well enough. Jonah sank his teeth into the furry tail, then clawed his way up the Growlithe's back. They wrestled for a while, and Jonah let off a few more Shadow Balls before running back to Emma. The Growlithe was clearly exhausted, though it still stood ready to fight.

It was far more determined than any other wild Pokemon Emma had encountered so far.

Jonah viewed it seriously, as an equal.

Its eyes shone with intelligence and power.

Almost unconsciously, Emma grabbed a pokeball and launched it at the Growlithe. It connected, absorbing the Pokemon and snapping shut. After a few moments, the pokeball ceased its quivering and sat still.

Emma exhaled hard.

She had legitimately caught her first wild Pokemon.

Adrenaline surged through her body. She caught a Growlithe!

Pidgeotto landed next to the pokeball and pecked at it. His beak somehow triggered the button on the front, and the Growlithe popped out.

The poor thing seemed more bewildered than anything else. It shook its head and glanced quickly between Emma and her two other Pokemon.

"Hey little Growlithe," Emma murmured, slowly approaching it. It sniffed her hand for nearly a minute before she could pet it. Soon it relaxed enough for her to pat its head, but still eyed her warily and kept its legs tense.

Though Emma also introduced her Pokemon, the Growlithe didn't seem too keen on them. She sighed, returning it to its pokeball and setting out for Saffron.

…

Gah. She definitely needed Gary's advice. Sure, the Growlithe, a young male, rested up nicely and wasn't hostile to her anymore. But he took forever to warm up to her or her Pokemon. It had been nearly a week and he still kept his distance.

And so, once again, Emma found herself staring at her Pokegear screen and sighing. Her finger brushed the call icon and she sank onto the bed.

Gary's face snapped into view, backed by the interior of a canvas tent.

"Hey Emma, how's it going? It's been a while." He smiled softly.

"I really, really need your advice." Emma winced at the begging note that snuck into her voice. She sighed, ran her hand through her hair, and explained the Growlithe. Gary leaned towards his camera and shrugged.

"Emma, this is pretty normal stuff. He's had a shock; he needs time to adjust to his new situation and learn to trust you."

That only agitated Emma even more.

"Well, what did you do about it, Gary? When you were so successful as a new trainer?"

"I was a reckless kid, Emma," he snapped, voice rising, "and I only ever met other reckless kids. I did nothing about it. Nothing! I was too immature and selfish to care about the emotional turmoil of my Pokemon. Not every trainer is compassionate like you."

They stared at each other for a solid minute before Gary sighed.

"I admire you a lot, Emma."

She ducked her head, bashful at the intensity of his gaze.

"Your Growlithe's behavior indicates that he recognizes you as having power over him. He will obey you. Do something together, just the two of you."

"That's it?"

Gary scoffed. "Well, obviously it takes time. But mutual participation in an activity can help you bond."

She nodded and they fell into silence once more. Emma tried to study the tent on the small screen, with little success.

"Have you won any badges yet?"

"Oh! Um, well… kind of?" Emma bit her lip. At Gary's confused expression, she explained what happened at the Pewter Gym, feeling that familiar anger at Forrest rising once more.

"Wow. That's just bullshit. That kid should not be a gym leader." Gary shook his head, face crumpled into an equally angry expression. "Kudos to you for trying to refuse the badge. But just… wow. Being cruel to a Pokemon for a perceived slight from its trainer is just wrong. Inhumane."

Eager to lighten the mood, Emma asked about the dig. Gary sighed; it wasn't as successful as expected, and there had been a scandal with an employee who had concealed their identity and tried to plagiarize research findings.

"Hearing from you is such a relief. You can call me as often as you want. After all this drama, nothing is as comforting as talking to an honest friend."

His smile looked so weary.

Emma tried to return his smile, but couldn't fight that twisting feeling in her stomach.

* * *

><p>Author's Note<p>

I see a Pokegear as being something like an iPhone (or Android, if you prefer those). It calls, texts, has little apps (probably things like type effectiveness charts and recipe collections for poffins), and can go GPS mode and connect to the internet if you pay extra. The idea of parents letting their kids wander the continent _without a cell phone_ completely baffles me, so just about every trainer has one.

Also, Pokemon centers are not-for-profit enterprises, and the only way they can provide free basic care for Pokemon is to rent rooms to trainers.

One of my friends said that reading this story has shattered his childhood fantasies of how awesome it would be if Pokemon was real. In a good way, he insists. Do you guys agree?


	7. Chapter 7

Metamorphosis

Chapter 7

* * *

><p>The Saffron Gym was dimly lit and had a faint echo about it. It was rumored that the leader had psychic powers nearly on par with her Pokemon, which might explain the lack of lighting.<p>

She definitely had an elegant sense of style. While the Pewter Gym was rough and crude in an attempt to be rustic, the Saffron Gym was decorated in a sleek, simple way. Vase of flowers. Matching armchairs. Dark purple floor mats.

Emma had been waiting about fifteen minutes now. Perhaps the leader was busy, or in a battle, or out of town.

Footsteps echoed down one hallway, getting closer. Emma stood and wrung her hands. She wasn't really sure she could win yet. Her Growlithe, nicknamed Foo, put her at a complete team as far as gym battling was concerned. But he was still new. She had only been training him for a week.

She just didn't want to return to Pallet - and Tracey - without at least attempting the gym.

A familiar face came into view, breaking into a surprised smile.

"Emma?"

"Kayla?"

"Oh my gosh! It's so cool to see you!" She hugged Emma quickly. "What have you been up to?"

Emma gave a very, very basic summary. "I'm actually here to challenge the gym. Did you just finish?"

"Oh, cool! No, I did that last week." She showed Emma the badge. "Sabrina's letting me stay for a while to train my Kadabra. She's super nice, but really tough in battle. Want me to get her for you? Oh! Can I watch the battle? I've never seen you in action. Here, follow me."

She led Emma down the same hallway from which she came. They turned a corner into a candlelit room with cushions on the floor. Half those cushions were occupied by trainers meditating. Kayla silently indicated for Emma to sit and join, and she tried. But she didn't really know how to meditate, so she looked down at the floor and instead tried to mentally prepare herself for battle like she had been doing in the lobby.

Two sandaled feet came into view and Emma looked up. A tall, striking woman looked down at her. The rest of the room was empty.

"You wish to challenge me?"

Emma nodded.

"Very well. I must warn you, I am difficult to defeat."

"I would hope so. You're a Gym Leader."

Sabrina's mouth twitched into a smirk.

…

The battle arena was plain and simple. Dirt floor, tile edges. Sabrina sat in an armchair at one end. There was another by Emma, but she would rather stand. The roof opened to the sky, but was dimmed by something.

"This battle has no time limit. Each trainer can use three Pokemon. The last person with a battle-ready Pokemon shall win," Sabrina announced. "Kayla, since you were so eager to watch, you can referee this match."

Emma turned Foo's pokeball in her hand. Kayla raised her arm, then dropped it.

A Kadabra appeared in front of Sabrina.

Emma released Foo to the middle of the arena. He adopted his alert stance. Emma closed her eyes.

"Sunny Day!"

A blinding light blasted out from Foo, even leaking through Emma's eyelids. Once she adjusted to it, she squinted one eye open to observe.

Gary told her about this move. Said it would boost the power of Foo's attacks. Said it could be used strategically against opponents accustomed to different conditions. Said it was fairly obscure and few trainers ever taught it to their Pokemon. Said it would be unexpected in a Pokemon so young.

The eerie darkness began to churn. Sabrina twisted away from the light and held an arm over her face, as did her Kadabra.

A shaft of sunlight broke through and landed on Foo.

"Now!"

Fire blasted towards Kadabra, even as Foo kept channeling Sunny Day.

That had been the bulk of their training. Flamethrower while summoning the sun.

The darkness above the arena shattered, dissolving as pieces of it fell. Bright light now bathed everything.

The flames made contact with Kadabra only briefly before it teleported away.

Sabrina and Kadabra both had their eyes closed, presumably using their psychic abilities to sense the field and communicate. Emma directed Foo to charge after Kadabra as much as possible. Teleportation used massive stores of psychic energy, so Kadabra wouldn't be able to keep it up against an energetic young Growlithe.

Both Kadabra and Sabrina flinched when Foo landed a Crunch on Kadabra's arm. He took advantage of their hesitation and blasted Kadabra with Ember.

Kadabra retaliated with a powerful Psychic - and then Future Sight also slammed into Foo.

He whimpered and looked back at Emma. She knew his focus had broken, and recalled him for a brief rest.

"Go, Pidgeotto! Gust, Wing Attack, and Tackle!"

Pidgeotto was quite clever, and Emma had been teaching him to execute moves in any order after she shouted them. He battered Kadabra with Wing Attack repeatedly, but took a strong Psychic and tumbled away.

"Come on, you can do this!" Emma cried. Kadabra was winded and worn out. "Gust!"

The burst of air knocked Kadabra down, and Pidgeotto took to the sky. He pulled in his wings and dove at Kadabra - and met the Thunderpunch head on. The blast sent up a small cloud of dust. When it settled, both Pokemon lay in the ground, knocked out.

"Your Pidgeotto is very determined," Sabrina hummed. She sent out a Jynx in Kadabra's place.

Emma tucked Pidgeotto away in her pokeball belt, and let Foo out at her side. He looked ashamed.

"You did a fantastic job, Foo. Because of your effort, Kadabra is out of the battle. Now, you can keep your focus, right? You're up against a Jynx. Use your -"

Foo flattened to the ground, barely dodging a volley of ice. He snarled. Sabrina smirked.

"Oh, that was dirty!" Emma shouted. "Get 'em, Foo!"

No pep talk could ever have been as effective as that attack. Foo tore up the arena, pursuing the Jynx with incredible ferocity. His Embers and Fire Fangs and Tackles came at such a rapid pace that the much slower Jynx could only barely defend. He finished it off with a Flamethrower, without ever taking a hit.

Sabrina's eyes were wide open now. "I did not expect this."

"Foo is a very honorable Growlithe."

He was also very worn out from his all-out assault. Emma recalled him.

"So, Emma, we're both at our last Pokemon."

"Thank you for informing me, Captain Obvious. Make your choice." Emma crossed her arms and waited.

"Very well," Sabrina spat.

An Espeon took the field.

Emma released Jonah at her feet. "You're up. Improvise, and show this Espeon who's the boss." Jonah growled and hissed at the Espeon, who returned the gesture. "Go."

He took off, trading attacks while Emma watched wordlessly. Even though he had gathered the energy, he still hadn't used Shadow Ball, which would undoubtedly do a large bit of damage, instead lulling Sabrina into thinking he was a purely physical attacker. It worked, and Espeon soon kept its distance. Sabrina seemed to relax.

"Now, Jonah!"

He launched the Shadow Ball at Espeon, who took it and stumbled.

Then Jonah started to glow.

Sabrina's jaw dropped. Kayla's jaw dropped. Emma's jaw dropped.

Little particles of sunlight spun in towards him, then burst out across the arena. A violet paw stepped forward. The light faded, revealing Jonah, now an Espeon.

He gathered the shadowy energy once more, firing it at Sabrina's Espeon. It mirrored her stunned expression and fell.

"Ah… Espeon - Sabrina's Espeon - is no longer able to battle. Emma is the victor," Kayla stammered.

Sabrina returned her Espeon to its pokeball and stood slowly. "I'm quite impressed. Your Pokemon are very independent. That's usually a weakness in trainers I encounter, but you've made it into a strength." She walked across the arena, pulling a box of badges from her pocket and presenting one to Emma. "Congratulations. You have earned the Marsh Badge."

Emma thanked her. Jonah trilled and rubbed Emma's legs. Kayla ran to her side as soon as Sabrina left out the side door.

"Oh my gosh, that was incredible! It took me two tries to even get close to beating her!" She now regarded Emma with an intense admiration. "How do you train? Can we train together?"

"I'm sorry Kayla, I -" Emma paused, seeing the crestfallen look on Kayla's face. Kayla was an enthusiastic trainer. Kayla was a cheerful presence. Kayla seemed fairly intelligent and clever. She legitimately liked Kayla. Emma took a deep breath. "I'm heading back to the Oak Lab tomorrow. Do you want to come with me?"

Kayla squealed, hugged Emma, and bounced around. "I have to clean out my room here! Oh my gosh. When do we go? Oh, this is so exciting!"

Emma smiled. Now she had a travel partner. She stared at the badge in her hand. Finally she had one she was proud of, from a Gym Leader she respected. Maybe things were looking up for her after all.

…

Kayla, having never taken the elite trainer car on the train, was truly awestruck. She recognized a few of the other trainers, pointing them out to Emma in hushed tones and explaining their claim to fame.

Emma was quite enjoying Kayla's company, and by the time they arrived in Viridian, Kayla was humming in delight.

And of course, a familiar brunette leaned against a familiar convertible outside the station. A strangled squeal caught in Kayla's throat as Emma got Gary's attention.

"Don't worry, Kayla, he's super nice," Emma whispered.

Gary beamed, holding his arms open for a hug. As Emma laughed and approached him, he held out his hand to stop her, adopting a fake serious look.

"Only people with a Marsh Badge get a hug from me."

She smirked and flashed her badge. He hugged her and they both laughed. He then demanded the same from a bewildered Kayla, also hugging her when she displayed her three badges. She quivered with excitement.

"Emma, you're the best person ever," she whispered into Emma's ear.

Gary loaded their bags into the trunk. Both girls climbed into the back seats.

"I guess I'm a real chauffeur today. It's good to see you again, Emma."

"You too. I thought you were still at the dig, though."

Gary's face fell slightly. "I'm taking a break for a few days. Helping you guys train while you're here."

Kayla squeaked. Emma understood him: taking a break to avoid the current negative mood of the dig. She didn't ask any more about it.

The general focus soon turned to Kayla, as Gary asked her questions about her Pokemon and training and goals. The younger girl eventually relaxed and overcame her anxiety, answering his questions casually and being her normal talkative self.

…

The lab definitely felt like home. Jonah could run around freely, as did Foo and Pidgeotto. Emma could lounge around in leggings and a sweater and go barefoot.

Kayla was very happy to see Oak again, and even happier that he remembered her. She proudly showed off her Wartortle, beaming under his praise. She also took great joy in recounting Emma's battle with Sabrina, exaggerating the details for dramatic effect. She had a flair for humorous asides and kept Oak, Gary, and Tracey laughing.

"And then - and then! - all the light started to swirl in towards Jonah like a vortex! Sabrina gasped and Emma - well, everyone gasped - and Jonah stepped out of the light and he was an Espeon!"

The five of them sat in the kitchen, bathed in the afternoon light filtering through the window. And at that moment, Emma didn't care if she never saw her mother or father again. This was all the family she ever wanted.

…

Gary definitely missed training. He coached Emma and Kayla on the finer points, teaching all their Pokemon to enjoy water, predict the path of electricity to dodge it, tolerate extreme heat and cold, and resist their weaknesses more effectively.

At the end of two days, their teams were defensive powerhouses. Gary then taught them various offensive strategies like weather manipulation and off-type attacks.

Though Foo as a Growlithe lacked the power to use such moves as Thunder Fang and Solarbeam, he still trained in their execution to have them at his disposal whenever he evolved. Ponyta actually did learn Solarbeam, and most of the Pokemon learned Iron Tail. The field was riddled with holes from the Dig lesson.

All seriousness vanished with the weather.

Ponyta had learned Sunny Day and Wartortle learned Rain Dance. Apparently, the two had a bit of a playful rivalry, and soon the weather on the field began churning between extreme sun and heavy rain as they tried to tag the other with sunlight or water.

And then Emma pushed Gary into the rain.

"Hey!" He frowned at her as the water immediately soaked him. Wartortle then clung to his pants and began tugging him around, keeping him wet. "Aw, come on!"

And then Kayla pushed Emma into the rain. She shrieked and burst into laughter as Gary grabbed her arm.

"Serves you right, Emma!" He smirked and also began laughing.

Kayla heckled them from Ponyta's side, thinking she was safe in the sun. But then the Pokemon got in on the fun, and a patch of clouds formed above her head. She looked up, only to take a bucket's worth of water to the face.

For the next hour, no one was safe.

Afterwards, as they relaxed under the beech tree, watching the Pokemon scuffle and play tag, Emma began wondering what it would have been like to grow up with siblings. Would siblings in a normal family have played around like this? Or would they have argued and been rivals for their parents' affection?

She let her head fall to one side, glancing at Kayla sprawled in the grass and Gary within her reach. All three of them had been only children. And all three of them felt like kindred spirits.

Maybe she didn't wish she'd grown up in a normal family.

…

Emma awoke to soft knocking at her door. She pulled on some pants and glanced at the window. The moon lit up the meadow. What time was it? Jonah stirred and she patted him softly.

She opened the door and felt strangely disappointed.

"Hi Emma," Tracey whispered.

"Hello." She would really rather be asleep.

"Um, can we talk? About Saffron?"

Oh, great. Emma sighed and rested her face in her hand. "Really? Right now?"

"Please - just - I'm sorry." His voice rose and he flinched, dropping to a whisper once more. "I wasn't trying to be pushy or anything. I just, um, I really like you, Emma."

Even though she couldn't see his face, she could tell that he felt sheepish. And sure enough, he rubbed the back of his head and slumped over a bit.

"Emma?"

"Yes?"

"Uh… say something?"

"O… kay?" Like what? Emma sighed.

Tracey shifted his weight between his feet. "I mean, like, what you feel. Is there any chance for… us?"

She didn't really enjoy Tracey's company. She liked it better when he faded to the background. She didn't consider him a good conversationalist. She was fine with him just being a friendly acquaintance.

But the back of her mind nagged at her. There was nothing really wrong with Tracey. He was a nice guy and he liked her. Guilt began eating away at her. She didn't pay enough attention to him. She was cruel and just standing there.

"Emma?"

She sighed shakily. "I don't know." Guilt twisted in her stomach and she fumbled for some kind of relief. "I mean, we haven't really spent much time together and - and - I just don't know yet?"

"Oh. Then, I guess, just… spend more time together?"

"Sure. I guess. Can we figure it out later? I'm really sleepy."

"Oh! Of course. I'm sorry." He hugged her and she forced herself to return the gesture. "Goodnight Emma."

She closed the door and walked to the bed in a daze. What was that?

…

Tracey paid her extra attention as she, Kayla, and Gary prepared to leave. She managed to find non-guilt-inducing excuses to dodge any solid plans with him. Calling all the time would be unfair to Kayla. She couldn't visit more often without it negatively impacting her training and travel plans.

She watched the building shrink as Gary drove. As soon as the lab disappeared behind Gary's car, Emma sighed in relief. Kayla glanced at her and furrowed her brows.

"What's all that?"

Emma placed her hand over her face. "I don't even…"

The ride was silent and uneventful.

Then, when they reached Viridian, Gary's Pokegear rang.

"Hey Gramps, what's up? … Yeah, they're still with me. What do you …" He remained silent, pulling over to the side of the road as Oak talked and talked. After a while, Gary twisted to face the back seat and skewered Emma with such a look of betrayal that she felt her stomach rise. "Yeah, we're on our way back now." He hung up and swallowed hard, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Gary?" Kayla piped up meekly. "What's going on?"

Gary let out a very shaky sigh. "We're going back to the lab." He then twisted around and grabbed Emma's arm. "Who the fuck are you? Answer me! We're going back to the lab because your mother is there trashing it. You have some explaining to do! Who are you? Is Emma Rose even your real name?"

Emma struggled to break free from his grasp. "Yes, my name is Emma Rose!" She felt her stomach in her throat and forced it back down.

"Well, apparently Rose is your middle name." Gary tightened his grip and Emma stopped fighting it. "I see we're getting somewhere. What is your real name?"

A sob broke from Emma's throat.

"Fine. You can explain yourself at the lab."

…

Her mother had definitely been there. Emma could even see the motions she had used. Yank picture frame off of right wall with left hand. Slam into left wall. Kick with left foot. Punch glass on display case. Classic.

"… but unfortunately she already left by the …"

"… patrolling the roads out of town. Did she have any …"

Oak and an Officer Jenny discussed the police report as Gary escorted Emma to the kitchen. Like a criminal. She kept her gaze down, only watching the floor rush by, and with it, pieces of debris. Carpet then became tile, and she was shoved into a kitchen chair. She placed her hands on the table. On her left arm, a blotchy pink ring where Gary had grabbed her threatened to bruise.

Gary leaned in the doorway. Tracey stood behind the counter. Oak rested one shoulder on the fridge. Kayla sat in the corner armchair. All of them focused their eyes on Emma, and she wanted to die.

"Well, we need to take your statement. We'll decide on whether to press charges later."

A clipboard landed on the table, and Emma glanced up. Officer Jenny gave her a stern glare.

"Charges? What charges?"

"Conspiracy to obtain a Pokemon under false pretenses."

Emma felt the wind exit her lungs. "What?"

"Did you not give a false name?" Officer Jenny's gaze was positively hateful.

Emma worked her jaw but made no sound. All her planning to evade this kind of trouble was for nothing. Now she would lose Jonah. Tears streaked down her cheeks.

"We need your full legal name."

"Emma Rose Baldwin."

A pen scratched paper. "And since you're a minor, we need the names of your parents or legal guardians."

"Maria Baldwin and Tobias Elm."

The entire room gasped. Emma's quiet crying became quiet sobbing. Her shoulders shook and she could hardly breathe.

"As in… Professor Elm?" Oak asked in disbelief. "But… how?"

"They had sex or something!" Emma wailed. "I don't know all the details. I don't want to know them! All I can say for sure is that she wanted him and he was engaged and not interested and so she drugged him." Her head hit the table and she took a few deep breaths. They didn't help. "But of course, no one would ever believe that, would they? All men want sex all the time."

"She…" Oak's voice was thick and heavy. He couldn't finish the thought, so Emma finished it for him.

"She raped him, yes!"

"Emma!" Tracey scolded. "How can you say such a thing about your mother?"

Emma stood and screamed at Tracey. "My mother is a MONSTER! She is worse than you can fathom! Don't you dare tell me how to talk about her! I grew up with her! You don't even KNOW!"

She suddenly became aware that she was standing. She choked back her sobs and shut down her emotions, sitting and facing Officer Jenny once more. Her face was the very picture of nothing.

"What other questions do you have, Officer?"

They blurred by. Emma couldn't repeat them if asked. Officer Jenny's look of disgust no longer seemed personal.

"We will need some evidence of this."

"What?" Emma blinked. She didn't even remember what she just said.

"We need evidence of the physical abuse to back the claim. Scars, hospital records, witnesses, the like."

Emma caught Gary's eye. He looked horrified. He probably thought her inhuman now.

She stood and turned away from Officer Jenny, lifting her hair and dragging her finger along the jagged hairline.

"Tried to scalp me."

She turned back to Officer Jenny and pulled the collar of her shirt away from her left shoulder. A faint white scar extended down. Wide, but faded enough that it had to be pointed out. She lifted the bottom of her shirt. The scar ended at the bottom of her rib cage.

"Said she wanted to cut my heart out."

Kayla's eyes were wide and red and she had her hand clamped over her mouth. Tracey braced himself against the counter and looked like he would vomit. Oak had vanished. Gary's face was all raw pain and regret, his eyes downcast.

Emma gave Officer Jenny the official details. Hospital she stayed at, vaguely guessed doctors' names, contact info for Justin's family. Officer Jenny thanked her, paused, apologized, and left. She would not press charges.

And now Emma stared at the floor.

Gary's voice cracked her name. She looked up, saw that his gaze lined up with her left arm. Hid the damage out of habit. Winced.

"Emma, I am so sorry." He took a step, as if to approach her. Paused. Continued. Wrapped his arms around her, like she was precious.

All her life she had practiced dissociating from her emotions. It was easier if she didn't feel. She didn't want to feel.

She still didn't want to feel.

But the pain twisted her ribs and seared her lungs anyways.

* * *

><p>Author's Note<p>

And of course as I'm writing this last scene, the most cheerful music is playing in the background.

Cheerful, upbeat characters like Kayla are either maligned (parodied or scorned by angsty teenagers) or poorly written, at least in many of the fanfics I've read. Kayla was originally a throwaway character, just there for one scene and gone, but I actually really liked her. She's real. I like the idea of her being Emma's occasional traveling partner. She's young and innocent and truly does not know how to comprehend situations like Emma's. As for training, she's essentially an ace trainer in the early stages.

Having grown up in the most stable childhood with possibly the greatest parents on the planet, it's very hard for me to write a character like Emma. Everything needed to be mapped out: mother's motivations for everything, father's motivations for everything, Emma's motivations for everything. Rape culture is such that the victim is often deemed responsible. For many women, they were "asking for it" in some bullshit way (Oh, short skirt. She totally was advertising herself for sex). For many men, it's "men will always want sex" regardless of the truth.


	8. Chapter 8

Metamorphosis

Chapter 8

* * *

><p>Emma's Pokemon, though not fully understanding, were not oblivious to her emotional turmoil. The next two days at the Oak Lab, she had constant companions. Pidgeotto flew above her when she went for walks outside. Jonah guarded her room, constantly sensing the area to see if anyone was approaching. Foo escorted her down the hallways. But even though one would take a leading role in keeping her company, all of them were within earshot all the time.<p>

Tracey avoided her for the most part, though he would give her conflicted and longing looks from across the massive gulf between them. The few times he tried to approach her, Foo raised his hackles and growled.

He was turning out to be a pretty awesome Pokemon.

Kayla didn't seem capable of fully comprehending what had happened. Her nervousness kept her from talking. She'd tried once, but she couldn't find any words to say.

The only person at the lab trying to engage her in conversation was Gary. He treated her like a normal person and that was refreshing and comforting. He let her complain, sigh, argue. She was angry at him for dragging Kayla into this. He apologized. Explained his reasoning. Bickered.

That was the best thing about him. He understood. By bickering, he helped Emma relieve the negative emotional energy that kept building up.

Others did not understand quite as well. Others like Tracey. He looked positively scandalized upon walking into the kitchen and seeing one of their pointless arguments go down.

He rushed to Emma's side and put an arm around her, ignoring the snarling Foo. "Gary, leave her alone!"

"Back off, Tracey," Emma snapped.

His eyes widened and he retreated. His interference killed the argumentative mood and Emma sighed and slumped over the counter. Her hands dangled off the other end.

Gary's fingers brushed her arm. The bruise had bypassed the black and blue phase and gone directly to yellowish green.

"Will you still call me at the dig?"

Emma laughed for the first time since all the drama broke. It felt painful and soothing.

"Yes, I will," she murmured into the counter, fogging up the granite and her lips.

"Your hair looks silly like that. Is blond your natural color?"

"Yeah. I don't really like the brown." She still hadn't touched up the roots and she didn't care. The dye was fading enough that the break wasn't as obnoxious.

Umbreon and Jonah rubbed Emma's legs. She shuffled her torso upright and glanced at them. Espeon and Umbreon. How cliché. Jonah trilled and she smiled.

Somehow, Gary and Emma ended up outside, training their Pokemon. Kayla tentatively joined in, and Emma wondered if maybe everything would go back to normal after all.

…

Oak seemed strangely eager to see Emma leave. He would often appear out of nowhere and ask what her plans were and how she was feeling and if she felt ready to travel again. She wasn't surprised or upset. She understood. It was her fault that the lab had been so damaged. She could feel her shoulders hunch and her arms draw in every time he approached. She could feel her face burn with guilt every time she passed him and Gary and Delia repairing holes in the wall, replacing broken frames, sweeping up dust and bits of drywall.

She really did need to leave.

So she told everyone she would be ready to take off on Monday.

And of course Tracey would suddenly get over his awkwardness with talking to her, knowing she only had two more days at the lab. Possibly forever.

She walked through the hallway, dragging her fingers along the wall, surveying the damage. She walked the steps she thought her mother would have taken. She looked around, through doors her mother might have peered into.

In the kitchen, she found a little fragment of porcelain. A small twist of blue adorned one chipped edge. She remembered the little tea set it was from and looked up. Sure enough, next to the teapot on the shelf were only three cups, not four.

She liked that tea set. She'd buy another cup to replace it.

"Emma, how are you feeling?"

She resisted the exasperated sigh that tugged at her lungs. "I'm fine."

Tracey approached closer, wringing his hands. "Are you sure? I mean, what with all the -"

"Tracey. I grew up with this. I'm fine." One look at his face told her that she wasn't convincing him. "I'm used to it. It's like a marathon runner. He can take it because he runs every day. We can't because we don't."

And she really was fine. She recovered quickly, and during most of the times that everyone thought she was brooding, she was actually more concerned about how they were taking it.

Tracey forced his tense shoulders down. "Are you… still willing to give me a chance?" He took a half-step towards her.

He was still willing. Emma didn't really care. But then of course she began to feel guilty. Tracey still wanted her, even knowing her background, and that didn't even move her. What was wrong with her? He had such hope in his eyes and she felt nothing.

He was a nice guy! Any girl should be happy to have him. He had a nice face and was in good shape and smiled often. Any girl should be grateful to have him.

Emma inhaled. She could smile and laugh and sigh for him. She could be excited to hear from him and look forward to seeing him. She could daydream about him.

"I guess there's no harm in trying."

A glowing smile spread across his face. He promised to be gentle and not pushy and considerate and discreet. He had a spring in his step and hummed as he walked away.

…

Monday morning, Kayla and Emma sat under the beech tree in small patches of sun where the dew had dried. Their Pokemon ran through the field, playing.

Kayla sighed. "It's been fun to be here. Oh!" She paled. "I don't mean that -"

"No, you're right. This has been fun. Even with." Emma smiled at the younger trainer.

Kayla was kind and sweet and innocent, and overcame her shock quite naturally. Emma found herself liking her travel partner more and more as time went on.

Soft footsteps approached them. Emma fall backwards, smiling at an upside-down Gary.

"Are you guys ready to go?"

Kayla twisted around. "I'm ready."

Emma nodded and stood, helping Kayla to her feet. They recalled their Pokemon and ran through the lab to their rooms to get their bags. On the way out, they almost literally ran into Oak.

Emma nearly choked on her own throat. "Go on, Kayla, I'll be just a minute."

Oak waited for Kayla to exit, then clasped his hands behind his back. "I see you're leaving."

"Yes. I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused. I understand if you'd rather I not return." Emma twisted the hem of her sweater and studied the floor.

"Nonsense! We still have our research. I -" he paused and dropped the cheerful tone. "Professor Elm is a very close colleague of mine and he was supposed to visit, but I've kept delaying. I didn't want to have any more unpleasant surprises, for you or him. Now go on, catch up with your friend! I'll see you in three weeks."

…

"Where did you want to go next?"

"Hm?" Emma blinked a few times and turned to Kayla. "I don't really know. Cerulean, maybe?"

Kayla's mouth shifted off-center as if she were biting her cheek. "I already have the Cascade badge. How about we just try the Viridian Gym? It shouldn't be too hard."

"What type is it?"

"Ground," Gary interrupted, "and it's generally viewed as one of the tougher gyms in Kanto."

Emma hummed. She didn't feel that confident yet. She only barely beat Sabrina.

"What about Celadon?"

"Ooh, yeah!" Kayla sat up straighter. "The gym there is all grass-type, and some are part poison. We should have a pretty good advantage. And then we can go to Fuchsia next."

…

Gary gave Emma an unusually long hug at the Viridian station. "Keep in touch, okay?"

"Of course." Her spine tingled.

…

On the way to Saffron, Kayla paid no attention to the celebrity trainers. A week with Gary had worn out her starstruck reflex. Emma plucked at stray threads on the arm of the couch. Tracey had tried calling her already, and she had to insist on not talking on the train. So instead, he sent her little messages. Cutesy ones that assumed they were dating. Whiny ones at her lack of a response. Eventually she did reply to one of them, asking him to stop. He sulked. She didn't care.

She found that she felt much less guilty about her lack of feelings for him when he wasn't in her presence. She would have to keep future lab visits shorter.

Emma sighed. She was so used to traveling on her own, with no ties to anyone. No obligations. Sure, she would go back to the lab fairly frequently. But nearly all of her time was for herself.

Kayla was okay. She was good company, close but not intrusive. She also needed her personal time and Emma never felt awkward around her.

But Tracey seriously didn't know when to back off. He wasn't even with her and she felt her personal space get violated every time he messaged her.

Her Pokegear chimed again.

"Emma, who keeps messaging you?"

She rested her face in her hand. "Tracey."

"Aww! Is there something going on between you?" Kayla fixed Emma with an eager stare.

"Well, he wants that, but I don't, really…" She trailed off and let out a heavy sigh.

"Why not?"

"I'm just… not interested. And he's so annoying! He can't take no for an answer. He's messaged me…" she checked, "fifty times since we left."

Kayla grimaced. "Yuck. Too clingy."

After another block of silence, minus Pokegear chimes, Kayla began telling stories of Celadon City. Her mom often took her shopping at the massive mall there. She met a few trainers in the Pokemon-specific area, but none of them famous or anything. They would take the train from Fuchsia, and carrying purchases in the commuter cars proved to be a rather comedic hassle.

"Can you keep it down?"

They glanced to the other end of the car, meeting the scowl of the red-haired young man who snapped at them. Kayla squeaked an apology and returned to storytelling in more hushed tones.

"You don't even belong here. You're not elite at anything." He stood and marched over to their couch. Jonah, who had been curled up at Emma's feet, rose and raised his hackles.

"I would sit back down if I were you." Emma glared at the undaunted man. "I have no qualms about letting him attack you if you get any closer."

Jonah growled and bared his fangs.

"Emma," Kayla hissed, "are you insane?"

"I just might be." Without taking her eyes off the man, Emma reached into her bag and flashed her green card. "Satisfied your scruples?"

His scowl deepened.

"If you object, you can always contact Professor Oak and tell him that you deem yourself more fit to judge the quality of trainers than he is."

He tried to out-stare her, but her glare held. "Hmph!" He turned on his heel and strutted back to his seat, trying to keep his head up.

"What a dick," Emma muttered. Kayla nodded, still stealing glances at him out of the corner of her eye. He reminded her of some famous coordinator whose name escaped her.

…

Both girls sighed in relief when only they exited the train in Saffron.

They stopped by the Pokemon center, where Emma picked up the last of her pay, ate lunch at a little cafe specializing in soups, then set out westward.

"We should be able to get there before dark," Kayla hummed, skipping and turning around in circles as she kept pace with Emma. "It's like, super close."

Jonah trilled and pranced around with Kayla. He loved the boost of speed his longer legs gave him, and began racing the lightning-fast Foo to and from the trees dotting the grassland. Kayla also let her Wartortle and Ponyta out, and soon they joined in the chase.

"Why don't you let Kadabra out?"

Kayla rolled his pokeball between her palms. "He doesn't like walking. I don't think his legs are built for it."

Emma shrugged and they continued in a companionable silence. When their shadows stretched longer than their height, they rested under a majestic oak tree. Emma realized with slight amusement that there were no oak trees at the Oak lab and associated ranch.

A wispy sprout rose from a crevice between two roots. Its leaves spread straight out, parallel to the ground. Emma plucked one and spun it with her thumb and forefinger. Somehow, it reminded her of Gary.

She nestled it between the pages of her Pokemon book.

…

The sun hovered near the horizon when Emma and Kayla began encountering the urban sprawl of Celadon. Large communities of houses sat in clusters, surrounded by open meadow. Celadon itself was a brightly-lit splash halfway to the horizon.

The shopping center dominated what probably used to be the central square. As Emma strolled through the city, the stark contrast between old and new struck her as somewhat uncomfortable. Everything seemed so tense.

Opening the door and hearing the familiar Pokemon center chime, Emma felt her shoulders relax. All Pokemon centers felt comfortable to her, even ones she had never been to. Kayla also seemed more at ease at the appearance of Nurse Joy.

"Good evening, girls. Oh! Emma!" Nurse Joy smiled. "Would you girls like separate rooms or a suite?"

Suites were generally reserved for famous trainers.

"Uh… how much is the suite?" Kayla asked, fishing for her coin purse.

"It's no charge."

"What?"

"Emma's a former employee, so she and anyone traveling with her get free rooming."

Kayla gaped, then turned to Emma. "You are the coolest person ever."

They got the suite.

Jonah and Foo fought over the couch as Emma settled into her room. She had never actually been inside a suite before, despite working at the Goldenrod center for two years. Everything was so fancy, almost on par with the rooms at the lab.

When Emma walked back into the common room, Jonah was sprawled out over two couch cushions, with Foo curled tightly on the third. Kayla smiled.

"Your Pokemon are so cute!"

"So are yours, especially Ponyta."

Ponyta shook her mane at the compliment.

"Yeah, but she's also super tough." Pride lit up Kayla's face as she told stories of Ponyta's ferocity in battle. That led into stories of Wartortle and Kadabra as well. Emma shifted Jonah to the center cushion and sat on the couch to listen. In the middle of the second Kadabra story, her Pokegear began ringing.

"Hold on… oh, it's Gary."

"Go ahead and answer. I feel like checking out the mall anyways." Kayla stood and retrieved her bag from her room.

Emma held the camera toward her face and pressed answer. Gary's blurry face appeared on her screen.

"Hey Gary, your camera is really out of focus."

"Nah, it's just wet." The screen was dark for a moment, then completely clear. "Did you make it to Celadon?"

"Yeah, we're even in a suite!" Kayla called out from the doorway. "Hi Gary! Bye Gary!"

His laughter sounded rich and warm even on the Pokegear's speaker. Despite Kayla leaving, Emma still felt compelled to move to her room for extra privacy.

"Celadon feels so weird," she sighed, sinking into the bed. "And Tracey has been annoying all day."

"Really? How so?"

"He was nonstop messaging me all morning and most of the afternoon, even when I told him to stop."

"Oh. Uh, I meant Celadon feeling weird. But it sounds like you need to vent."

Emma curled up, steadying the Pokegear with her fingertips. "I don't know. He likes me, and I feel like I'm obligated to like him. He's already acting like we're in some sort of relationship."

Gary rubbed his chin. "I don't know what to say. I didn't know he could be seriously interested in a girl."

Emma sighed, and they both stared at each other for a while.

"Going back to the lab is going to suck," she groaned.

Gary sighed in agreement. "Do you want me there to help fend him off?"

"No, that's okay. I've kept you away from your research for way too long. I don't want to be any more of a burden."

"Emma, helping you would never be a burden." Gary smiled and tilted his head ever so slightly. Emma could feel her face heat up with a blush. "And there's nothing anywhere that says you have to like a guy just because he likes you."

"I know. I know, but…" she shook her head and covered half her face with her hand. "I just feel like I should like him."

"Well, if you don't, you don't. Sometimes things just don't work out like that. But hey, if you don't want to deal with him, why don't you come to Sinnoh? See somewhere new. You could get some Pokemon that are less common in Kanto, and you can check in with me instead of Gramps every few weeks."

Emma's heart fluttered at the thought. Seeing his face light up with enthusiasm only amplified that. As she studied his image on the screen, she saw vast pools of hope in his eyes.

He hoped she would come.

She found that she really wanted to.

"That sounds wonderful."

As a smile overtook him, crinkling his eyes, Emma's heart began to thud.

What was this?

* * *

><p>Author's Note<p>

The chapter is a little shorter than usual this time. I'm quite surprised at the popularity of this story, considering it's not a traditional ship. Thanks to everyone who's read, reviewed, or favorited this. Updates might be a little long in coming, since I'm in the final stretch of college and this term is brutal.

I'm writing the characters to still sound like adolescents, but more mature than their age. The Pokemon world seems to be like that. People have responsibilities and aspirations beyond what most people their age in the real world would have.


	9. Chapter 9

Metamorphosis

Chapter 9

* * *

><p>The Celadon shopping center was indeed massive. Mall employees stood at each major entrance with a stack of maps, handing them out to patrons as they entered. The same map was also enlarged and posted on the wall.<p>

Emma unfolded hers and lazily let her eyes wander over it. Apparently, the entire north wing was devoted to Pokemon, with a park for training and so many shops that Emma couldn't guess the purpose of more than half of them. Kayla had suggested meeting there in the afternoon to train, though she gave no specific time.

Well, there was certainly enough here to keep Emma busy until Kayla arrived.

She walked along the hallway aimlessly, glancing in windows but not really looking. Most of the clothing was more fashionable than functional. She was wearing out her current three-outfit rotation, but none of what she saw seemed like a suitable replacement.

Turning a corner, Emma found herself in the middle of half a dozen cosmetics shops. She briefly considered trying some new makeup, then shrugged and kept moving. She didn't really care if she ran out of her current supply. She only occasionally wore her disguise makeup. And besides, she could just send Foo at her mother if she ever encountered her.

A salon caught her eye and she looked closer, studying the pricing chart in the window. The brown dye had faded enough to look really strange, and Emma was pleased to see that she had more than enough spare money to afford to have it dyed back to blond. As she walked to the door of the salon, a woman with a half-apron full of clips and combs and scissors rushed out and grabbed her arm.

"Oh! Honey, you must get in here. Don't let customers see you!" She dragged Emma inside. "Ugh! We must do something about your hair! Can't have you standing around outside looking like that and scaring off business. Your color is positively atrocious and that cut is… clumsy at best. Go, go, sit down in that chair, and I'll have someone come fix you up."

Emma yanked her arm away and scowled. "Are you really that rude to all your customers? I think I'll take my business elsewhere."

The woman sputtered and tried to block the door, stammering something about leaving like that and being a bad impression on others, but Emma pushed past her and kept walking. After a few minutes of aimless wandering, she found a much smaller salon nestled between two massive clothing stores. How much clothing did people in Celadon buy?

This salon was tiny compared to the other, with only two chairs and one sink. Instead of the full wall of hair products, this had what seemed to be a repurposed bookshelf with only a handful of bottles.

"Hey there, can I help you?" A young woman not much older than Emma manned the counter. A homemade pin on her apron identified her as Caroline.

"Yeah, I'd like to get my hair dyed back to its normal color."

"Wonderful! Just the color? All over, or would you like some highlights or lowlights? Perhaps a T-foil to accent your face?"

Emma had no idea what that meant. "Whatever is the simplest, I guess?"

Caroline smiled and sat her down in a tall swivel chair, snapping a poncho-like apron behind Emma's neck. She told Emma all about Celadon and her little salon as she painted the dye on her hair.

"The color has to sit a while. Would you like something to read while you wait?"

Emma nodded and was presented with a stack of magazines. She sifted through them, eventually settling on Teen Trainer. Maybe it would have some travel tips or something useful. Looking at the table of contents, however, didn't do much for her confidence. It seemed to be nothing more than a trainer-oriented gossip magazine.

She nearly closed it before Gary's name caught her eye. What was he doing in a magazine like this one? She flipped to the page and scoffed at the title: "Trainer's Most Wanted!" Apparently the article - if it could be called that - was a feature on three each of the most desired single young men and women of the training community.

The details in his profile were so false, so inconsistent with his personality, that Emma was certain the author had never even met him. Did they just make up a bunch of facts and attach them to a handsome face? Well, they did have some good pictures of him. A few were even of the dig in Sinnoh. The marshy scenery was quite beautiful.

Despite her attempt to take the article lightly, Emma felt her stomach twist upon reading the section on his relationship history. She was certain that most of it, if not all, was entirely fabricated. But it stung to imagine any of the pictured girls - far prettier than she - with Gary.

She was jealous. Jealous! The realization hit her like a slap. She was jealous of girls, girls she never knew, being possibly romantically involved with a guy she wasn't even interested in.

She bit her lip. That thought felt like a puzzle piece out of place. She did care if Gary was with someone else. She cared because she wanted him to be with her.

Well, shit.

"I'm just gonna check the color now, alright?" Caroline's surprise reappearance nearly sent Emma's heart out of her mouth. She lifted the hair cap and studied a patch of hair. "Looks about ready!"

Emma's head spun as Caroline washed out the hair dye. Gary probably had all kinds of women interested in him. They were probably better trainers, had prettier features, and less insane families. But still, she couldn't help but feel a little special. She had an open invitation to call him whenever she pleased. They'd set up tentative plans for her to visit him at the dig. Surely that meant something, right? Maybe?

Now she felt a strange desire to impress him. She wanted to look good when he next saw her. So as Caroline toweled off her hair, she blurted out a request for a really cute hair cut.

…

Emma stared up at the sky over the open-air section of the mall. Dark gray clouds spread over her view, and faint rolls of thunder reached her ears. She strode through the mass of clothing stores once more, feeling strangely optimistic, and paid more attention to the displays in the front windows. Still, nothing really appealed to her. But she had plenty of time to get some new clothing before visiting Gary.

Her Pokegear chimed with a new message. Ugh, Tracey. Emma groaned. She really had to put an end to this, but her resolve always faded before she could finish a reply. Another chime alerted her to a message from Kayla, canceling their planned training due to the impending storm. Feeling strangely tired, Emma returned to their room to relax.

She softly closed the door, pressing it the rest of the way into the doorframe as she leaned against it and slid to the floor. Her pokeballs rolled out of her jacket pocket and across the floor. She grabbed them and released her Pokemon.

"Hey guys. I'm gonna go lay down. Don't destroy the place, okay?"

Instead of bounding around the room like they usually would do, her Pokemon piled on the bed with her. The incoming storm seemed to sap their energy as well. Jonah curled up on the pillow next to hers, though he couldn't fit completely on it. Foo sprawled out next to her, and Pidgeotto settled on the corner.

…

Kayla had returned just as the storm hit, but even in the short time she was in the rain, her clothes were soaked through. She dripped water all over the rug by the door.

"I haven't seen a storm like this since I was back home!" She shrugged out of her sweatshirt, then leaned forward and twisted her hair, wringing it out onto the soaked fabric. Most people would have been agitated about getting rained on, but Kayla seemed thrilled.

"Are these storms common?"

"Oh yeah. Around here, anyway. What was weather like back home for you?"

"Drizzly. All the time." Emma started laughing. "Are we really talking about the weather?"

Kayla giggled as well, then quickly changed into something dry. The girls settled on the window bench to watch the lightning.

Emma felt a pang of longing in her chest as she remembered her first few weeks at the lab, before things got awkward with Tracey, before her mother descended on the place like a demon of destruction. But mostly, she remembered watching Gary come out of his shell, how his smile lit up his face the first time she saw it.

Why was he suddenly so dominating her thoughts?

She ran a hand through her hair and focused again on the storm. Lightning struck a skyscraper and Emma pondered electric-type Pokemon. She only knew of a few, and none of them seemed particularly appealing. They all had their strengths, for sure, but Emma just couldn't force herself to want one.

Maybe that was a good thing. So many people were fixated on the species that they overlooked the individual. Emma glanced at hers and Kayla's. They certainly had individuality in spades.

…

Foo stepped on the grass, then quickly withdrew his paw and wrinkled his nose. The ground was still soggy from the storm, and he hated mud. Jonah didn't care, though. He sprinted around the training field so quickly that the purple tufts of fur below his ears fluffed into frizzy balls.

"Let's see who's willing to battle!" A fierce grin overtook Kayla's face, and she nearly strutted towards a boy in a straw hat. They exchanged a few words and send out their Pokemon - his Beedrill versus her Ponyta.

Emma's Pokemon began stretching. She used to have to instruct them to do so before training, but they picked up on it pretty quickly. Her eyes swept the field for potential opponents. As she glanced once more at Kayla's battle, her Pokegear began ringing. Gary. Her heart thudded as she answered.

"Hey Emma, how's training going?" His relaxed smile eased some of her anxiety. He was casually filling out some forms at a table in the central canvas tent - a sight so familiar that she wondered if she'd even need a tour of the dig when she arrived.

"I was actually just about to start." She was certain her face was on fire.

"Oh! Well, should I leave you? Don't want to be a distraction."

"It's fine. I'm at the Celadon Mall looking for trainers to battle, but I don't see anyone else looking to fight. How's the dig going?"

"Let the poor trainers have a few more minutes of peace before getting wrecked by your team." He smirked. "The dig has been great, actually. There hasn't been much rain this past week, so we're -" He twisted around to his left, interrupted by shouting. "Yeah, I'll be a minute!" he called back. He gave Emma a half-hearted smile. "I'm sorry, the boss is eager to get back to work."

"Should I let you go?"

"Yeah," he drew into a sigh, "probably. I really don't want to go."

Emma's heart jumped. They reluctantly said their goodbyes, and Emma was both saddened and encouraged to see the disappointment on his face. She was also completely baffled by her reaction. Why had she never felt this before? If she'd been falling for Gary all this time, why did it feel so sudden?

She strolled along the field, towards Kayla. She and her opponent were locked in a fierce battle, and a crowd had gathered to watch. Presumably, any trainers would be there, fired up to challenge anyone after Kayla finished. Emma leaned on a tree closer to the action and observed. Pidgeotto perched on a low branch, and Foo and Jonah settled at her side.

Wartortle charged at Scizor, throwing his shoulder - as much as he had one - into the blow, and absorbing Scizor's punch with his shell. He flipped onto his side, blasting Scizor's face with water, causing it to flinch and shake its head.

Its posture sagged. It was tired, far more than Wartortle. Kayla's opponent had apparently not trained his Pokemon for endurance like she and Emma had. Sure, it hit hard and could take hits, but it was woefully unprepared for Wartortle's relentless assault.

Wartortle charged again, knocking Scizor out with a particularly loud Skull Bash. The crowd cheered, and Kayla smirked at her opponent. He fumbled with a pokeball, hesitantly holding it before him and releasing a Pokemon that Emma had never seen. It resembled a Kakuna, but with a gray abdomen and brown wing-like spikes on its back. Though it didn't move any limbs, it still hovered a few feet above the ground.

Kayla also seemed baffled, but still directed Wartortle to attack. But though he fired a Water Gun in the Pokemon's face, and water splashed across its body, the attack had no effect. Nor did Skull Bash. The trainer smirked.

"Shedinja, Confuse Ray!"

Emma gasped and Kayla's eyes widened. They had both heard of Shedinjas before - the shell of a Ninjask that somehow had a soul of its own. They could not be harmed except by attacks they were particularly weak to.

Kayla beamed a disoriented Wartortle back into his pokeball and sent out Kadabra instead. Her opponent's smirk widened, seeing himself at an advantage, until she called out her command.

"Kadabra, Shadow Ball!"

"No!" The boy recalled Shedinja before the attack could land, his cocky composure gone. The crowd began to murmur.

"Do you admit defeat?" Kayla's face was carefully schooled into a neutral expression. Emma could tell she longed to flaunt her victory. The boy stammered, eventually hanging his head and nodding. Kayla caught Emma's eye and walked over to the tree, giving her a high-five, to the applause of the crowd.

"Nice job."

Kayla's face split into a wide grin. "Did you see the whole thing?"

Emma shrugged. "No, only the second half. Gary called right after you started battling."

"Oh, man! The beginning was so much better! He sent out this Beedrill, and it was clearly his strongest Pokemon, and -" Kayla stopped abruptly as a trainer approached them. He looked a few years older than Emma, giving off an aura of wisdom rather than attitude like the newer trainers.

He greeted them both, introducing himself as Michael, then addressed Kayla. "Your battle was fantastic. Would you accept my challenge?"

She let out a snort of laughter. "No, sorry. I only have the three Pokemon, and two of them are pretty tired."

"Oh, come on. They seemed fine in battle."

"I like to give them a rest. You should battle Emma. She's even better than I am."

Emma opened her mouth to protest and insist that Kayla was selling herself short. However, the challenger fixed her with an intense gaze. An intense, doubtful gaze.

"Well? Will you battle me?" It wasn't really a request, though he didn't issue an official challenge. She could refuse if she wanted to. But she did need to train against someone other than Kayla or Gary.

She called her Pokemon over. "Three each?"

"You don't keep them in pokeballs? You're at a disadvantage with me knowing your team."

"Make your first choice."

He seemed surprised by her direct manner, but he obliged and sent out a Victreebel. Emma grinned. This would be fun.

"Tear 'em up, Foo."

He snarled and charged forward, dodging vines in an effort to get close enough to lock his jaws around it.

"No, keep your distance. It's part poison. You don't want to ingest that."

"Sending in such a young Growlithe? Is that wise? I was expecting your Espeon. Razor Leaf!"

"Toast them!" A blast of fire reduced the leaves to fluttering ashes.

"As I was saying, your Espeon seems to be the far more impressive Pokemon." He directed Victreebel to try Vine Whip or Wrap, since projectile leaves seemed useless. Foo dodged all of them, even scorching a few in the process.

Emma chuckled. "Oh, he is. But Foo, did you hear him? He doesn't take you seriously at all." She couldn't keep the amusement out of her voice. Foo raised his hackles. He was by no means overly proud, but he hated being underestimated. "Flame Wheel."

Foo conjured up the ring of flame, sending it at Victreebel. It hit its top leaf, shriveling it from the heat. Michael scowled.

"Fine then. You want serious? You get serious. Solarbeam!"

Victreebel bounced backwards, gathering light.

"Foo, Dig!"

"Oh, come on. That's amateur."

"Amateur?"

Foo appeared beneath Victreebel, knocking it on its side. The Solarbeam blasted out in all directions. Foo couldn't dodge it, but with most of the force dissipated elsewhere, it didn't impact him very strongly. Michael's eyes widened and his face fell slightly.

"That… that was pretty good." However, as soon as Victreebel regained its balance, his demeanor returned to haughty and serious. Other trainers began making their way over to the battle, and he seemed keenly aware of that. "Body Slam!"

Foo took the whole hit, but burst into flame upon contact, scorching Victreebel and leaving it with a rather nasty burn.

"Flamethrower!"

Though battered, Foo directed a torrent of fire towards Victreebel. Now that the battle had intensified, many of the trainers who had watched Kayla's battle formed a circle around this one. Emma didn't care; they could watch all they wanted.

"Your Growlithe is well trained, I must admit. But this has gone on too long. Solarbeam! Finish it!"

"Flare Blitz!"

As Victreebel gathered sunlight once more, Foo fueled the flames around his body until the air around him distorted with the heat.

"Charge!"

He did, with his muzzle set in grim determination. He dashed at Victreebel knowing that the attack would likely knock him out.

"Victreebel, fire! Fire! Dammit, attack!"

Victreebel kept charging until the very moment Foo made contact, once again resulting in a scattered burst of an attack rather than a focused beam. Fire engulfed both Pokemon. Many of the observers gasped.

The flames slowly subsided to reveal Foo standing triumphantly over an unconscious Victreebel.

The crowd went wild.

"Oh, that was bullshit! There's no way your pathetic little Growlithe could overpower my Victreebel."

Emma shrugged. Foo was clearly exhausted and returned to her side of the improvised battlefield, settling in the grass. He was far too satisfied with his victory to care about the insults.

"What, just a shrug? You're not gonna say anything? You think too highly of yourself?"

"What is there to say?" Emma beckoned Foo to her side and he settled next to Pidgeotto. "Make your next choice."

He sent out a Corsola. "Bubblebeam! Get that Growlithe!"

Wow, really? "Foo isn't even in battle." Emma crossed her arms and shook her head. The attack still came - and was deflected by an invisible wall. Jonah stepped forward, tail twitching. He narrowed his eyes and Corsola tumbled backwards.

"Wh-what the hell?"

"You made Jonah angry. That's not a wise move."

As another mental blast sent Corsola several feet in the air, its trainer lost all the color in his face. This Espeon was far more powerful than the Growlithe, effortlessly throwing around his Corsola. He turned to Emma, shock and fear plain on his face. She sighed.

"Enough toying around, Jonah. Finish it off."

Jonah charged at Corsola, slamming into it with a sickening crunch. He then psychically caught the flying Pokemon midair, pulling it back and slamming it into the ground at Michael's feet. Though it was still conscious and relatively unhurt, it was in absolutely no condition to fight, and Michael had to return it. A hush fell over the audience.

Well, Emma would be unlikely to find any other opponents at this rate.

Michael scowled and sent out a Murkrow. Clever, using its immunity to the bulk of Jonah's abilities.

"Shadow Ball." It wouldn't be as effective as usual, but it would be a good indicator of Murkrow's defenses and might give an idea of how many Zap Cannons would be needed to take it out.

It actually hit pretty hard. Michael gasped and protested that it was bullshit for Jonah to use non-Psychic attacks.

Emma was shocked. "You can't expect me not to have trained against Dark-type Pokemon." Apparently he did. His Murkrow seemed very young and undertrained. Did he really only use it because he thought Jonah would have no attacks that could harm it?

"Well, you pulled the type advantage shit on my Victreebel!"

"All of my Pokemon would have had an advantage."

Michael blinked a few times, as if processing that thought. Emma sighed and directed Jonah to use Swift. Little stars sped towards a squawking Murkrow, who couldn't evade them despite its best efforts. Its trainer showed no interest in ordering attacks.

Emma shook her head. "Just finish it off, okay? Zap Cannon."

The first one missed, but it did get Michael's attention.

"Whoa, what the -"

The second one hit, and Murkrow was out.

Battles were profoundly unfulfilling when fought against trainers like this one. The crowd seemed to agree, whispering to each other and wandering off rather than cheering like they did for Kayla. Kayla approached Emma and wrinkled her nose.

"That was really weird."

"Truer words have never been spoken." Emma sighed and sat next to Jonah. "It's so strange to battle trainers who aren't as skilled as you or Gary."

"Well, his Victreebel seemed pretty strong." Kayla settled in the grass as well, scratching Foo behind the ears. He stretched out and relaxed.

"It was. He's trained it pretty well, but just didn't do a good job directing it in battle."

Kayla growled in frustration. "I know, right? Ugh! He could have poisoned or paralyzed Foo so easily, but he just stuck to the most ineffective attacks!"

They animatedly discussed the strong and weak points of both Emma's and Kayla's battles for nearly an hour. By then, Foo had rested enough to race Pidgeotto around the park.

"Hey Emma, why don't you battle with Pidgeotto very much anymore?"

"He's not very enthusiastic about it. I mean, he doesn't mind at all, but Jonah and Foo just love battling." By now the two Pokemon had turned the last corner of their race and barreled on home.

Kayla hummed. "Foo is really fast."

"You ever seen Gary's Arcanine in a full sprint?" Emma smiled at the memory. "That is a fast Pokemon."

Foo leaped, soaring over Emma's head, then tumbling over himself on the landing. But he panted and happily barked, not even worn out from the race. Pidgeotto wasn't even fazed. He had won by a good margin, but even after all that exertion, he simply glided over the field like it was nothing.

"You know, I really have to appreciate Gary's focus on endurance training. It's crazy how often other Pokemon will just wear out before a battle is over." Kayla stretched out in the grass. "When do you think we'll see him again?"

Emma flushed pink and twisted a leaf between her fingers. "Well, he has invited me to visit him in Sinnoh."

Kayla bolted upright. "No way! Is this, like, a thing?"

"Well, I mean…"

"I knew it!" Kayla squealed, then gasped. "That's why you got the haircut, isn't it!"

Well, kind of, yeah. It wasn't the only reason, but…

"We need to get you some new clothes! You have to look your best when you see him. Come with me, I know just the place!" She grabbed Emma's wrist and ran towards the fashion district.

As she stumbled along, Emma couldn't help but think that maybe Kayla was the coolest friend ever.

* * *

><p>Author's Note<p>

School is more important than fanfic writing. My college is year-round, and I'm a senior, so updates will likely be few and far between. Don't worry, I could never abandon this story.

Edit: Fixed a few small errors I missed the first time.


	10. Chapter 10

Metamorphosis

Chapter 10

* * *

><p>They spent the next few days training inside Celadon Mall. Occasionally, crowds would gather to watch. Few trainers were willing to battle them, and none of them had strong grass types.<p>

"I'm pretty sure we could wipe out every fire-type gym from all the training with Foo and Ponyta," Kayla lamented, "but I just don't feel prepared to take on the gym here."

Emma sighed. She shared Kayla's worry, but what could she do? They would just have to hope that strong general battling skills would make up for the lack of specific experience against grass Pokemon.

Even though they now sat under a tree, casually watching their Pokemon, a small group of people gathered to observe them. They were becoming minor celebrities.

How could Gary stand this? Emma longed to hole up in the suite and hide from everyone. Perhaps that was exactly what he did. However, she had to admit, the feeling of constant scrutiny had done wonders for her battling.

A middle-aged woman wearing a kimono left the group and approached Emma and Kayla. She wore her hair back in a bright yellow headband. It looked more appropriate for someone ten years younger.

"Do you intend to challenge the gym?"

Kayla squinted one eye up at the visitor. "Eventually, yeah."

"What's the reason for the delay?"

"No solid experience against well-trained grass Pokemon."

The woman laughed. "Most challengers who approach me don't have any. I have been hearing stories of you two, though."

Emma sat up taller. "You're the Gym Leader?"

"Yes, I'm Erika. I was just here to restock the perfume shop," she pointed her thumb over her shoulder, "and I figured I'd introduce myself."

Emma shot Kayla a nervous glance, then stood. "I don't suppose that would include a willingness to have an official battle out here." Might as well get it out of the way.

"Of course." Erika grinned and pulled a pokeball from her kimono sash. She asked to see Emma's trainer card, eyes widening upon seeing the color. "Oh! An elite trainer!"

"No, just Professor Oak's assistant."

Erika nodded and returned the card. A few trainers made their way towards the center of the field, already anticipating a good battle. Emma would definitely not miss being a celebrity here, and the sooner she got the badge, the sooner she could leave.

"Pidgeotto, you're on backup duty." He happily settled on a branch to watch. Foo and Jonah trotted after Emma as she took her place on the field opposite Erika.

"Are you only using two?"

"Pidgeotto is there if I need him."

Emma's unorthodox approach to battling seemed to baffle Erika. But soon her posture shifted to resolute and determined. Another woman from her group called out the standard three on three rules. Emma noticed some people setting up a few large cameras along the perimeter.

Of course. City of celebrities. They'd have cameras ready to deploy anywhere, at any time.

She closed her eyes and cleared her mind. She could do this.

"Ready, Foo?"

Erika sent out a Tangrowth.

"Let's start off with a bang."

Foo burst into flames and charged at Tangrowth, so fast he became a blur.

"Wrap! Keep it away from you."

Three vines stretched out and began to wrap around Foo's legs, causing him to stumble and lose speed. His momentum kept him going just quickly enough, and he slammed into the Tangrowth, covering it in fire.

"Magical Leaf!" Erika's voice remained steady. Glowing purple leaves sped towards Foo, unaffected by the Embers he shot at them. They followed his movements, too.

"Just take them, Foo." He stood resolute as they slashed. His fur was thick enough to ward off most of the damage. "Flamethrower!"

Tangrowth had only just put out the previous fires all over its body, so it beat a hasty retreat. Emma didn't know they could move so quickly.

"Stun Spore!"

"Keep away from those! Burn them up if you can." He toasted the grass where they landed. "Get close."

"Wrap!"

"Let it." It would be risky. Erika gave her an odd look. But Tangrowth faced Foo towards it. "Now!"

This Sunny Day took far less effort than breaking the shroud over Sabrina's Gym. Foo quickly blasted a Flamethrower at Tangrowth.

"Ancientpower!"

Emma's eyes widened. Foo tried to dodge, but Wrap held him in place and the attack hit head-on. However, despite the heavy impact, he held on and fired off another Flamethrower, knocking out Tangrowth.

"Take a break, Foo."

Erika recalled Tangrowth and waited politely for Foo to walk back to Emma's side before sending out a Victreebel. Jonah stepped forward, tail twitching. He was as close to grinning as his face would allow.

"Solarbeam!" It fired off instantly.

"Rain Dance!" Jonah narrowly dodged the attack. Clouds bubbled out of thin air and began storming over the field. Erika frowned.

"Sludge Bomb!" It splattered all over Jonah, soaking into his fur. He began to look a little sick - then so did Victreebel. "Ah! Synchronize. I should have figured."

"Beat 'em up, Jonah." He stood completely still, eyes glowing as he unleashed a barrage of Psychics on Victreebel. It was nearly overwhelming, though Victreebel did manage to fire another Sludge Bomb at Jonah before collapsing.

"I am truly impressed," Erika mused, returning Victreebel to its pokeball, and pokeball to pocket. "It's been a while since I battled someone who would give her a challenge." She reached into her sleeve and pulled out an old, worn-looking pokeball. A Bellossom materialized at her feet. The crowd gasped.

"Erika has brought out her legendary Bellossom! As a Gloom, it was the very first Pokemon she ever trained!" A woman with a microphone excitedly narrated the history of this Pokemon into a large camera.

"You got this, Jonah?" He stood his ground, though he looked like he might vomit. "Shadow Ball!"

The attack had a negligible effect on Bellossom. She raised her arms and the sky cleared. In a flash, she fired off a Solarbeam, blasting chunks of sod out of the ground as it hit Jonah.

"Morning Sun!" Emma called. She'd never had to use it in battle and didn't know if Jonah could pull it off.

It seemed to help, though, and Jonah looked far more energetic than before. Perhaps it had been amplified by the Solarbeam? Bellossom took an aggressive stance and began draining Jonah's energy.

"Whoa! Jonah, Psychic! Break her concentration!"

It didn't work, though it did a substantial amount of damage. Jonah then charged, knocking Bellossom to the ground, biting and scratching any vulnerable skin. A close-range Solarbeam knocked him back.

And knocked him out.

Every organ in Emma's torso sank. Never since Pewter had Jonah been completely knocked out of a fight. Even the crowd fell silent. Emma could see the look of horror cross Kayla's face. This was Jonah; he was supposed to be unstoppable.

She unclipped his pokeball from her belt - when was the last time she'd even touched it? - and returned him. Sobs bubbled up in her throat, but she held them off. She turned to assess Foo.

A whitish blur rushed past her and slammed into Bellossom.

Pidgeotto was in the arena, and he was not pleased. Thick clouds once more obscured the sky. Emma could work with this.

"Aerial Ace!"

But Pidgeotto didn't listen to the command, instead flying up into the clouds.

A powerful Hurricane whipped Bellossom around the field.

Emma had no idea Pidgeotto even knew Hurricane. Of course, once it was steadily tearing up the park, he tracked the progress and knocked into Bellossom with Aerial Ace. And again with Wing Attack.

Backup? Nope, he was back with a vengeance, and he was letting everyone know it.

"Leaf Storm!"

Even through the vicious cyclone of leaves, Pidgeotto banked and dove at Bellossom once more, battering her with a final attack before collapsing on the grass.

Bellossom cleared the sky, and only then did Emma notice how fatigued she was. She began to cast Synthesis.

"Flare Blitz! Quickly!"

Foo took off like a rocket, slamming into Bellossom at full speed and engulfing her in flames. Emma held her breath. Erika looked truly anxious. Murmurs crept through the crowd.

When the flames subsided, Foo stood over Bellossom, chest puffed out in a victory pose. She was out.

Emma had won.

She fell to her knees, holding her arms out for Foo. As he limped into her embrace, the sobs broke from her throat, and the crowd burst into wild applause and cheers.

…

Across the sea, a young researcher in a canvas tent leapt to his feet and jumped around in celebration, high-fiving all the other archaeologists and researchers who had gathered around the portable TV to watch the match. He pumped his fist in the air.

"That's it, Emma! You're gonna be unstoppable."

…

Erika positively glowed as she approached Emma. "That was a fantastic battle! Are you quite sure you're not an elite trainer?"

"Quite sure." Emma wiped her eyes and rose to her feet, brushing the grass off her knees. "This is only my third badge."

"Wow. You'll definitely go places!" They shook hands and Erika presented the Rainbow Badge. She bowed politely and joined up with her entourage, wandering over to the exits. "Cheryl! Let's go for a walk through the meadow. I'm feeling inspired!"

Emma stood for a few moments to simply relax in the victory before being assaulted with a microphone.

"Trainer, do you have any thoughts on the battle?" The reporter jabbed the mic at her face. "What is your training philosophy? How do you feel about the victory?"

Emma flinched away from the mic, but the reporter kept following her face. "I have no comments, thank you." She pushed the mic away, but the reporter was undeterred. "Please, leave me alone!"

Kayla crossed her arms, releasing Wartortle when the reporter followed Emma to the tree. "You have five seconds to leave us alone before Wartortle destroys your equipment."

The reporter seemed willing to stay, but her camera man got out of there as quickly as possible.

"I am definitely not having my battle out here." Kayla turned to Emma, eyes twinkling.

"I don't blame you at all. I wanted to just get it done, but this seems like more trouble than it's worth."

The crowd began pressing towards Emma. Kayla quickly gathered their things.

"Back to the center?"

"Best idea I've heard all day."

…

Nurse Joy took Emma's pokeballs and congratulated her on the spectacular battle. It had apparently been broadcast live on a major Pokemon-specific channel. Emma groaned.

Well, Oak had predicted Emma's fame. She just didn't expect to stumble into it by her own stupidity.

An hour later, she returned to the first floor to retrieve her Pokemon.

"They're completely recovered. You must train them quite well for them to be so well conditioned." Nurse Joy handed the pokeballs back to Emma. "Also, your Pidgeotto evolved."

"What? I missed it?" She let him out of his pokeball right there in the lobby. Sure enough, his head feathers were longer and sleeker, and he had nearly doubled in size. He preened his wings, not quite use to them yet. Emma gave him an excited hug, to which he fluffed up his chest feathers.

"Pidgeots are supposed to be strong enough to carry their trainers on their back while flying."

Emma patted his head. "I hadn't thought of that. Let's go back to the room." He was too large to carry, and his wingspan too wide for the hallway, so she returned him to his pokeball.

Kayla had dozed off on the couch, and Emma didn't deem it worthwhile to wake her when she could just see Pidgeot later.

The sun was setting and the nightlife rising. Emma yawned and retired to her room, where she released all her Pokemon. How crowded would this be with a team of fully-evolved Pokemon?

"Jonah, Pidgeot, check it out." She opened her badge case to show off the newest addition. They glanced at it, then found places to settle down and sleep. Badges were nothing special; all in a day's work.

…

Kayla and Emma couldn't get even halfway to the mall before the whispers spread and crowds began to form, so they turned right around and decided to train in the fields along Route 7. They kept their Pokemon in their pokeballs; their free-roaming teams had become a part of their image. Today they just wanted to train in peace.

"Ponyta is just about to evolve." Kayla grinned. "Once she does, I'll challenge Erika."

"And then you can ride her everywhere, and trips will take half the time."

"I know! It'll be so awesome. Do you think you'll evolve Foo soon?"

Emma shrugged and veered north, looking for a secluded area to train. "I'll consider it if I can get my hands on a fire stone."

"Ooh, yeah, those are pretty rare."

A stand of trees shielded them from the view of the road, and both girls released their teams. After several hours of training, Ponyta finally evolved into a Rapidash, shaking her mane proudly. After a little while, she adjusted to her new body, and soon was carrying Kayla around the field.

"This will make traveling so much nicer!" Rapidash ran up to Emma's side and pawed at the ground. "What will you do?"

Emma scratched Rapidash's chin. "I'm not sure. Apparently Pidgeots can carry people, but I haven't tried yet." She beckoned Pidgeot over. He landed by her side, almost crashing into Rapidash. Emma examined the wing he had broken so long ago. "The bone healed just a tiny bit off, so if I do fly on you, it'll have to be for short distances."

Rapidash reared back and Kayla laughed. "We're gonna go challenge the gym now. I'll meet you back at the room!"

"Wait! Don't you want me to go with you?"

"You attract too many cameras!" Kayla stuck her tongue out at Emma, then waved and rode off.

Emma waved after her, then sighed and smiled. Now she could at least talk to Gary and finalize their plans. She had to return to the lab in three days, and She wanted to head straight to Sinnoh afterwards.

She called him and smiled when he appeared on her screen. Her heart began to pound when a dazzling grin lit up his face.

"Emma! I saw your battle yesterday. You were phenomenal!"

"Thanks - wait, what?" She nearly dropped her Pokegear. "All the way in Sinnoh?"

"Yeah!" His smile faded as he saw the panic on her face. "What's wrong?"

Emma swallowed hard. "My mom… and… Professor Elm. If you saw it in Sinnoh… they could definitely see it in Johto."

"Oh… well, what's the worst that could happen?"

"My mom could latch onto it for fame and attention, and he could… well, she would tell everyone about him. Her version." She wanted to curl up on herself and shrink into a speck of dirt. Blow away on the wind, perhaps.

"Emma, I swear, if you keep looking so miserable, I will find an Alakazam to teleport me to you, just so I can give you a hug." He briefly smirked when that drew a chuckle from her. "Besides, there's a warrant out for your mom's arrest for the damage to the lab. And, uh, probably for how she treated you, too. She gets within any distance of a reporter and officers will lock her away for good."

"I suppose," Emma mumbled.

"What's wrong?" The concern in his voice made her want to sob and rage at the same time.

"No one ever did anything to help before!" She wound her arm to throw the Pokegear, but stopped, balancing it once more on her knees. "I'm sorry. You don't deserve this."

"What? That's bullshit." Gary scowled at her attempt to protest. "No. I don't care if you think I'm too good or whatever is in your head."

"I just -"

"Not another word. It doesn't matter if I don't deserve this. I want this. I…" He stammered and a blush crept over his face. "I want you."

Emma stared at him in shock, face also red. Did he…? Her heart danced somersaults in her chest. A smile tugged at her lips, eventually conquering them. She couldn't frown even if she wanted to.

"Please tell me that's a happy smile and not a pitying one."

"It's a happy smile." She laughed, then sighed and rested her head in her free hand. "This is too good to be true."

"Excuse me a moment." Gary put his Pokegear face down, so Emma only heard his shout of "Yes!" and the thud of feet hitting the ground. When he slid back into view, his hair was slightly tousled, and his gorgeous smile had returned. "When do you go back to the lab? I'll meet you there."

"But you just got back to the dig!"

"So? It'll just be two days. Meet you there, bring you here. I mean, if you want to come so soon."

"I was actually going to suggest that myself." And just when Emma's heartbeat returned to normal, Gary smiled once more.

…

"I won!" Kayla nearly mobbed Emma as she entered the suite, showing off the badge.

"Awesome. Tell me all about the battle!"

Kayla needed no more encouragement and launched into her story. Wartortle had taken down a Weepinbell, but fainted himself. Kadabra nearly defeated a Jumpluff, which was apparently the cutest thing in the world. Rapidash finished off the Jumpluff and a Vileplume with minimal trouble.

"Erika definitely held back on me."

Emma shrugged. "Don't all the Gym Leaders? I mean, they can't be that great if they keep getting honestly beat by beginners."

Kayla hummed. "Yeah, that makes sense. And Erika's Bellossom was fierce! I'm really glad she didn't pull that on me."

They sat in silence, broken only by Kayla's brief but bubbly victory dance as she put the Rainbow Badge back in its case. Emma stroked Jonah's ears, ignoring his irritated twitching. He swatted at her hand, then purred and rubbed it with her head.

"So what are your plans, Emma?"

"The lab, then Sinnoh. Yours?"

"My parents really want me to visit. I might try the gym there, too."

"Keep in touch?"

"Of course!"

…

On their last day before leaving Celadon, Emma and Kayla wandered around the city, taking in all the sights there had missed while focused on training.

Emma didn't really like this place. Even after over two weeks here, she never got used to the constant tension. She would be completely fine if she never saw this city again.

Her Pokegear began to ring, and she nearly panicked when she saw it. Kayla paused.

"Who is it?"

"Tracey. I, uh, forgot to tell him that I'm not interested."

"Ooh. You might wanna do that. Like, right now."

Emma took a deep breath and answered. She tried to stay positive, thanking him for his congratulations on the battle, apologizing for not keeping in touch, but she felt clumsy and helpless with every word. They reached a lull in conversation, and she stumbled into what she needed to say.

"Listen, Tracey, I…" Her heart sank and she swallowed hard. "You're a really awesome guy and all, but I…"

"It's okay, I already know."

Emma nearly dropped the Pokegear. "What?"

"Gary called a couple days ago to say he was stopping by to get you. And… other things. I heard him talking to Professor Oak." His smile was a bit sad and disappointed, but completely devoid of malice.

"You're okay with it? You don't hate me or anything?"

"Gosh, Emma, who do you think I am? Sure I'm disappointed, but it's not a big deal, really."

She exhaled heavily. "Okay."

"You look like you just dodged death! Relax. It's fine. I'll see you tomorrow."

Emma laughed and they both said their goodbyes. Kayla tapped her foot.

"Well?"

"Remarkably painless." Emma nestled her Pokegear in her bag.

"No, what he said about Gary!"

Emma groaned. "Well, it's nothing official, but… it's something."

Kayla bounced between her feet, barely concealing her squeal. "Oh my gosh! You are so lucky! Let's go out to eat to celebrate. Somewhere cheap, though. I don't have much money."

They settled on a small diner that served massive bowls of ramen soup. Emma's had vegetables and Kayla's had seasoned tofu. Kayla offered to share, but Emma declined, not really a fan of tofu.

"I haven't had ramen in so long. My cousin has a restaurant in Cerulean, and the ramen there is to die for." Kayla slurped some of her noodles and giggled, wiping the broth splatters off her nose.

…

"Best of luck to you, Emma. I'll let the Joys in Sinnoh know you're on your way."

"Thank you so much, Nurse Joy."

Luggage in hand, both girls made their way to the Celadon train station. Kayla's mother stood at the front gate and held her arms open for a hug.

"Mom!" Kayla broke into a run, nearly dropping her bags.

They looked so similar they could have passed for sisters, minus the few strands of gray in her mother's black hair. Kayla introduced Emma, and her mom smiled widely.

"You can call me Mrs. Archer. Thank you for traveling with Kayla. I get so worried when she's on her own!"

"Mom! I was fine!" Kayla whined in protest.

Emma glanced around. "I'd love to stay and talk, but my train is about to leave." She hugged Kayla goodbye, then dashed off to her platform, getting there just in time. The conductor glanced at her card and waved her on. She hadn't even found a seat before the train lurched forward.

"Cutting it a little close, huh?" A young man about five years older than Gary smiled at her. They were the only passengers in the trainer car.

Emma sat down on the couch opposite his armchair. She pressed Jonah's pokeball on her belt and he materialized next to her.

"What other Pokemon do you have?"

"A Growlithe and a Pidgeot."

His eyes widened. "You were the trainer on TV! Battling Erika! How did you get such a lucky break?"

"Lucky break?" Emma viewed her minor fame as a burden, not an asset.

"Do you know how hard it is to have a televised battle? There's only guaranteed coverage of the top 32 in major tournaments. Everything else is Contests."

Emma shrugged and stretched her arms. Jonah jumped off the couch and approached the stranger, trilling and rubbing his legs.

"He is very friendly. Would you like me to evaluate him? I'm a Connoisseur. Oh, my name is Bradley."

"No harm in an evaluation, I suppose. I'm Emma."

"I was surprised when they didn't show your name on TV." Bradley lifted Jonah into his lap and examined his head. "He is in excellent condition. Very happy. His ability is Synchronize, very useful. Uh, you don't call him Espeon, do you?"

"Nope. His name is Jonah."

"Ah. Your personalities are not an ideal match, but you seem to work well enough together that it doesn't hold you back." He placed Jonah on the floor. "A wonderful Pokemon. You two will go far."

"Thank you." Emma patted the couch and Jonah returned to her side.

The rest of the trip passed in silence. Emma departed at Saffron and jumped onto the train to Viridian. This route was now so familiar to her that she recognized the furniture on the train car. There were quite a few more people on this car, so much so that Emma kept Jonah in his pokeball. No one talked, and the hour passed in silence.

It was late afternoon when the train stopped in Viridian and Emma disembarked. She hadn't actually walked south to the road to Pallet since her initial trip here from Johto. It felt strange, not meeting someone here to drive her.

Outside the city limits, Emma released Pidgeot from his pokeball. They had practiced flying a little bit before leaving Celadon, and he seemed to be getting used to it.

The meadows looked like little puzzle pieces from above, and the trees like bushes. After a half hour, Emma could see tiny houses and a large building illuminated by the sunset - Pallet Town. Flying was certainly much faster than taking the twisty, winding road.

Pidgeot recognized the scenery as well, and he quickly gained speed, aiming directly for the lab. He landed somewhat clumsily at the patio, sending Emma tumbling onto the tiles. She couldn't help but laugh, though. He was exhausted.

"You did great, Pidgeot." She hugged him and returned him to his pokeball to rest.

Peeking in the garage, she saw Gary's car and broke into a grin. He was here! She tiptoed up to the patio door and slipped into the kitchen.

It was empty. Emma couldn't remember a time when no one was in here, especially right before dinner. Well, they would be here soon enough. She leaned against the counter and watched the field steadily darken.

The patio door slid open and she nearly jumped. Tracey stared at her with surprise and something like panic in his eyes.

"Emma, come with me, quick!" He grabbed her hand and dashed down a few hallways, taking Emma to a part of the lab she had never seen.

"What's going on?" They paused for breath and he dropped her hand.

"We got an unexpected visit from -" He jumped back. Emma froze.

Oak and Gary stood maybe ten feet ahead of them, having just rounded a corner. Oak's face was twisted into an open-mouthed grimace, and Gary's an expression of sympathy.

Between them, her father stared at her with a mix of every emotion minus happiness.

* * *

><p>Author's Note<p>

It had to happen.

There will eventually be a cover picture for this story, once I finish one I like.


	11. Chapter 11

Metamorphosis

Chapter 11

* * *

><p>Everyone seemed frozen in place.<p>

Elm coughed. "And what are you doing here?"

"She's my research assistant. The one I might write the paper on." Oak fixed Elm with an intense stare, as if daring him to insult someone he regarded so highly. Elm's eyes flitted back and forth between them, clearly shocked. He opened his mouth and stumbled over his words until Emma interrupted him.

"Professor Oak is well aware of who I am and who my parents are, as are Gary and Tracey."

He recoiled as if hit, looking once more at Oak, fear and pain in his eyes. "Sam, you don't really -"

"And they know the circumstances of it."

Elm directed his fear at Emma, this time mixed with anger. "Circumstances? You mean more of those stories that bitch tried to spread? Because I'm done with -"

"No!" Emma's roar made everyone jump. She drew in a shaky breath and choked, descending into a coughing fit. Gary left Elm's side and drew her into a gentle, protective hug.

"It's okay, Emma," he whispered. "Hey Gramps, we'll be in your office."

"Thank you, Gary."

They turned and walked away, Gary's arm around her shoulders.

…

Oak's office only had wiry armchairs, and his cushioned desk chair, so Gary and Emma sat on the floor, leaning against the wall. He held her left hand with both of his, turning it over and lacing his fingers with hers, then holding her hand between his palms, and everything in between.

"Still sure you want this?"

He paused, then wrapped his arms around her. "Still sure."

"Even with the mess that is my family?"

He chuckled, and it sounded rich and warm with her ear against his chest. "Emma, you can hardly call either of them family. They haven't earned it. They're just people who happen to be related to you." He nuzzled her head. "Besides, mine isn't much better."

"What?" Emma squirmed, trying to look up at his face. "How?"

"Never knew my mom." Gary sighed. "From what I can gather, my dad was a womanizer. I was dropped off at his house, and he dropped me off here. Never spent much time with him, either. Gramps raised me on his own."

"No grandma?"

Laughs shook his rib cage, and he hugged Emma tighter. "I met her a few times. She and Gramps never married. I think he was a lot like my dad when he was young. Except he stuck around to raise his kid. And his grandkid."

"That's hard to imagine."

"I know, right? He's settled down a lot in his old age. But we make do. I think he saw me as his chance to do right and raise a kid who wasn't an asshole."

They sat like that for a while, Emma leaning on his chest, Gary wrapping his arms around her. Eventually the doorknob twisted, and Oak poked his head inside.

"Oh good, you're here." He strode to his chair and began rifling through his files.

Gary removed his arms from Emma, rising to his feet, then helping her to hers. Her left foot had fallen asleep, so walking to a chair was a truly bizarre experience.

She released Foo and he hopped up onto the desk like she had taught him. Gary stood next to Oak as Oak demonstrated the various points of examination, making notes in his own book while writing a reference sheet for Gary.

Emma had never seen this serious, scholarly side of Gary, and she studied him almost as intently as he studied her Pokemon. He would bite his lower lip ever so slightly when closely observing something. His voice was level and neutral, devoid of his usual playfulness or irony.

As much as he might have missed training, it was nothing to his research. He was in his element here.

She swapped to Jonah, then to Pidgeot, answering the usual questions. This was normal. This was routine. This was comforting, and any lingering shakiness from encountering Elm earlier eventually faded.

Gary looked up from his paper and smiled at Emma. She smiled back, but her mind found a new source of anxiety.

How must that have looked to Elm? Her mother, blond-haired and brown-eyed, pursued the promising young Pokemon Professor. The first time he'd seen Emma in years, she stood before him, blond-haired and brown-eyed, in the arms of a promising young Pokemon Professor.

She cringed. She had last quashed those fears over a year ago. Every time she looked in the mirror and would see her mother's face with its off-centered grin and dull eyes and -

No. She was not her mother. She would never be her mother.

She looked up to see only Gary and a sleeping Pidgeot. Gary leaned, almost sat, on the desk and gently asked what was on her mind. When she miserably recounted the similarities between her mother and Elm, and herself and Gary, he almost laughed.

"Emma, there is one very important distinction. She pursued him. I pursued you."

"What?" Emma's head snapped up and she regarded Gary with wide eyes.

"Did you completely miss the signs? I took time off from the dig to be here with you. Gave you my number. Invited you to see me." He grinned at her surprised face and leaned forward, pulling her into a hug. "You're adorable."

And of course her Pokegear would ring.

It was Justin. She hadn't talked to him in over a month - no, over two months. She was okay with that. But she felt obligated to answer.

"Hi Justin." His hair had grown out quite a bit, and he'd gained a little weight.

"Emma! Hey! How's it going? I saw your battle on TV. It took a while to figure out it was you."

Gary relaxed in Oak's comfy, padded desk chair, hands behind his head.

Emma and Justin caught up briefly. He got an apprenticeship at a restaurant, making their dinner rolls and desserts. Mandy was accepted to cosmetology school and already proving to be one of the best in her class.

"What about you, Emma? What other Pokemon do you have?"

"Just the ones you saw in battle. The Pidgeotto evolved, though." She turned her Pokegear to catch Pidgeot in the camera's view.

"Seriously?" He began scolding her, shushing every attempt she made to defend her Pokemon, telling her that such a limited team was a true embarrassment. She clenched her fists and considered throwing the Pokegear at the wall, bit her lip and considered screaming at Justin to go jump off a bridge.

"Oh will you shut up!" Gary yelled. Justin obliged, surprised into silence. "Any baker worth his salt doesn't ask a Pokemon trainer how to make cupcakes, and any trainer who knows anything doesn't ask a baker how to raise a team!"

Emma struggled to suppress a smile.

"Well, what the hell do you know?"

"A hell of a lot more than you!"

"Emma, who does that asshole think he is?"

She fixed him with a glare. "The asshole is you. What's wrong with you? You've always been a nice guy, but every time it comes to me as a trainer, you turn into a dick. But to answer your question, that 'asshole' is Gary Oak."

His eyes widened. He clearly knew the Oak name. Everyone knew the Oak name. He stuttered, apologizing, explaining that he only wanted to see her do well.

"She is doing well. She's one of the most promising trainers my grandfather has every seen." Gary smiled at Emma and nodded. He meant what he said.

"Justin, I really don't want to talk to you right now. Maybe some other time?"

"Uh, sure, okay. See you later."

Emma hung up and stashed her Pokegear in her bag. Pidgeot cooed in the corner, oblivious to all the noise. Gary moved to Emma's side and brushed her jaw with his fingertips.

"It's true, you know. You're amazing."

"Gary, what is there to do around here? I want to get out of the lab for a while."

…

They ended up at Delia's, since Pallet Town as a whole tended to close after 8PM, save for a few restaurants. Mimey greeted them at the door.

Emma had never been inside. It was a modest split-level home, perfect for a mother and son, but a little large for just the mother and her Pokemon.

"Oh, you're going to Sinnoh? That's where Ash is right now. I should introduce you." Delia wiped off a few just-washed bowls and stacked them in a cabinet. "Dawn is sweet, but she's just so young. You and Ash would be very cute together."

Gary cleared his throat. "I would object to that."

"Oh?" An embarrassed smile spread over Delia's face as she realized what Gary implied. "You know, I feel like baking cookies. Did you and your mom ever bake cookies, Emma?"

"No, she's diabetic." The lie sprang easily from her lips. Emma was quite experienced in pretending she had a normal home life.

"Oh, that's too bad."

Delia grabbed several small plastic bins full of baking ingredients and let Gary pick a recipe from a pile of cards. He refused to tell her, insisting it be a surprise. So she sifted together the dry ingredients, only sure that the recipe was quite large. Delia handled the rest of the mixing, and it wasn't until Emma saw her pour in chocolate chips that she knew.

Gary grabbed a cookie off the pan as soon as it left the oven, bouncing it between his palms to avoid a burn.

"Gary!" Emma laughed.

"What? Chocolate chip cookies are the best kind of cookies ever." He bit into it, inhaling deeply to dissipate the heat.

…

"Late-night baking is the best baking." Gary slung his arm over Emma's shoulder. The cookie recipe was indeed massive, and Delia sent them home with enough cookies to dine on nothing else for a week.

The night air was brisk and fresh, and they took their time walking home. When the tall light over the lab's gravel parking area came into view, Emma stopped and leaned on Gary.

"Gary, what's it like, being famous?"

He rubbed her shoulder. "It's hard to say. I'm so used to it now. Um, most of the time it's no different than being a normal person. The only people who really recognize me are people who follow Pokemon training in some way."

"So, it's not much of a difference?"

"No, it's a huge difference. Come on, let's go inside." He squeezed her shoulder and led her to the lab's side door.

When she had first arrived here, he had poked his head out that door, sized her up, and written her off as just another beginner. Now, after nearly four months of getting to know each other, he viewed her as… well, she wasn't quite sure, but it was caring and supportive and positive. It would take some getting used to, but she was more than willing to take the time.

They tiptoed to the kitchen to put some of the cookies on the counter for Oak and Tracey. The rest would go in Gary's back and travel to Sinnoh.

The kitchen light was on, and Emma could hear muffled voices from the hallway. She entered, froze, then continued to the counter, focusing entirely on the cookies.

Her father sat at the table across from Oak, both with cups of tea. Using the tea set her mom had tried to smash.

"She's still here?" Elm hissed to Oak.

"Still here," Emma replied. "Delia made cookies and sent some back for you and Tracey, Professor." She sat the bag on the counter and smiled. She could keep her composure. She approached Gary in the doorway and gave him a hug. That went surprisingly well. She turned to bid Oak goodnight and was shocked by the intense sneer on Elm's face.

"Like mother, like daughter."

Emma roared and sprinted at him, punching him hard enough to bloody his nose and knock him out of his chair.

"Don't you ever compare me to her! You have no right!"

"I have no right?" He slid back on the floor and lifted himself to his feet. "Sam, do something about her!"

Oak froze with his hand stretched over the counter, reaching for a cookie from the equally frozen Gary.

"You two need to sort this out for yourselves. I won't make Emma leave. Just, Emma, please don't break anything. That includes him."

Emma wrapped her arms tightly around her chest, hugging her elbows. Her violent reaction scared her. But she still glared at Elm. "You have no right to talk about her to me."

He grabbed a napkin from the counter and wiped the blood from his upper lip. "You would defend her? Do you know what she did to me?"

"At the party, while you were engaged."

"Sixteen years!" He began pacing, keeping the table between himself and Emma. "Held you over me like a weapon. Used you to bleed me for hush money. Threatened to destroy my career if I didn't give her enough attention."

"Oh, you poor thing!" Emma barked out a dry laugh that made her throat sore. "What horrible times you have endured! Parting with small sums of your comfy salary, or perhaps talking to her once in a while."

"And you make it sound like you had it so much worse!"

"You knew!" Emma screamed. "You knew everything and you ignored it so you could keep living in your fantasy world where no one ever suffers but you! You changed the facts in your head so you could leave me with that monster!"

"What should I have done, huh? Destroy my reputation and career to take you in?"

"Is that more important than the life of a child? Of your child?"

"You're not my child! I have a family. I never wanted you!" Elm paused in his pacing and steadied himself on the table.

"So you would rather kill me!" Emma drew a ragged breath and wiped the tears from her cheeks with the heel of her hand. Elm flinched and stared at the wall. "Every time she would attack me and try to kill me, I would write to you, begging you to get me away from her. And you did nothing!"

"Every time I look at you, I see her! And it's like it just happened yesterday. Is that something I should have to live with every day?" Tears also streamed down his face. "Take in the kid I never wanted, just so I could relive that constantly?"

"Would you kill me if you thought it would take away your pain?" He paled. Emma swallowed hard and looked him straight in the eye. "No, you'd just let her do it. I was dying and all you could think about was how much it would ruffle your feathers to do something about it."

He said nothing, sniffling and wiping his nose with the bloody napkin.

Emma looked to Gary and he moved to her side, escorting her out of the kitchen.

"Still sure, Emma," he whispered. She burst into tears once more and hugged him as tightly as she could. "Come on, I think your stuff is still in the office. You have a new room, by the way."

"New room?"

"A permanent one. My dad's old one. It was just used as storage, but Gramps and Tracey decided to clean it out and set it up for you."

"But why?" She stood in the office doorway as he grabbed her bags. "Wasn't that a lot of work?"

"It needed to be done anyway."

Gary led her through the same hallways Tracey had earlier. He turned a corner and placed his hand on a door.

"This is Tracey's room." He moved a few feet down and pointed. "That's Gramps." They walked around another corner and saw two doors across the hall from each other. "This one's mine, and this one is yours."

Emma twisted the door handle at slowly pushed the door open, poking her head inside. Light from the hallway illuminated the furniture, but her eyes hadn't adjusted enough for her to make her way around. Gary fumbled for the light switch on the wall.

Emma hugged him tight and he paused, resting his chin on her shoulder. "I'm really looking forward to tomorrow."

"What time are we leaving?"

"We'll need to get out of here by 9." He reached a little farther and finally found the switch. Nothing happened. "I guess the light burned out. Here, you can hang out in my room while I find a -"

His hand slipped a little more and knocked a second switch. A tall floor lamp in the corner flickered on. The bulb in the ceiling light had a black scorch mark on it.

"All these couches are for your Pokemon."

Emma stepped into the room - her room! - and Gary followed, dropping her bags on one of the couches. The bed here wasn't as large as in the guest room, but was still quite larger than any she was used to. And there were a lot of couches. One was some kind of corner couch and very worn out. Another looked nearly identical to the ones in the Pokemon center. She let her team out and they glanced around, then began to investigate this new place.

"I think I'll be fine without a new ceiling light tonight." Emma smiled at Gary and hugged him goodnight.

"Alright, I'll come wake you up around 7."

Closing the door softly behind Gary, Emma sighed, then shook her head. Of course her dad would just happen to be here. At least she had a new room, away from the guest wing where he would be staying.

Jonah trilled and rubbed Emma's legs.

"You guys like the new room?"

Foo yipped and jumped from one end of the corner couch to the other. Jonah darted over there, tail twitching, and pounced on Foo. Emma laughed as they began to scrap, scooting Pidgeot to the side to grab her toothbrush and toothpaste.

There was no bathroom attached to this room. Or was there? A door in the far corner intrigued her, and she cracked it open, revealing an empty closet. As if she would ever use it.

Instead she walked across the hall to Gary's room to ask him. His door was halfway open, and she could see him in just his pajama pants. The last time she'd seen him like this, her Pokegear had not done his shirtless torso anything close to justice.

He folded a shirt and tucked it in his suitcase, catching a glimpse of Emma in the doorway. "Enjoying the view?"

"Mm, maybe." Emma giggled. "Where's the bathroom?"

"Oh, right. It's around the corner to the left. Your left." Gary stretched his arm in the general direction.

Emma brushed her teeth quickly, changed into her sleeping tank top and shorts, and tiptoed to Gary's door again. He sat on his bed, reading a scientific journal.

"Just couldn't resist me." He grinned, not taking his eyes off the page, and patted the space next to him. Emma padded across the rug to his bed, snuggling up next to him. His skin was so smooth and warm, with fine brown hairs down his arms and across his chest. The soft touch of her fingertips drew him from his article, and he wrapped his arms around her.

"So how is fame different?" She wanted to shove her foot in her mouth for asking such a mood-killing question.

Gary didn't seem to mind, pulling her close anyways and affectionately nuzzling her neck. "Everything you do is under scrutiny. You lose a lot of privacy. You kind of have to make a public persona and stick with it if you want to remain sane." He pressed his lips to her jaw, sending her pulse racing. "There are a lot of things you can't do in public."

Emma ran her hands over his back. "Like this?"

"Definitely this. We have to keep our relationship as under-the-radar as possible, or we'll be completely hounded by the press." He squirmed as Emma's hands brushed his sides. "Ticklish."

"Oh, really?" Emma's fingers danced over his ribcage, dragging reluctant laughs from his chest.

"Hey! Hey, come on! Stop it!"

Somehow she ended up underneath Gary, who pinned her hands above her head, then slowly, torturously, leaned down and kissed her.

Well, if she had to restrict this in public, she might as well get as much as she could in private.

They exchanged soft kisses for at least half an hour before Emma yawned too frequently to continue. Gary's smirk lit up his face.

"Sleepyhead."

"Yeah." She yawned again. "See you tomorrow."

Gary walked her to her room, hugging her goodnight. "Get your rest.

* * *

><p>Yeah, it's been a while.<p> 


End file.
